For the Heart's Sake
by markyc58
Summary: It is said that clowns make the best actors because in order to make people laugh, you have to know how to cry. A story of friendship, love, selfsacrifice and selfdiscovery. What does the mirror of the heart reflect when you get past fear? Re-formatted
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **'Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight – I wish I may, I wish I might – have the wish I wish tonight'…Damn, it didn't work! I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

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**PROLOGUE**

"Hey, Jou? Want something to drink?" The raven-haired boy's cheery voice broke through the blond's reverie, causing him to reluctantly open his eyes. Hazy honey orbs blinked lazily and he yawned before answering, "What ya got, Mokuba?"

"Anything you want! Name it!"

"Um…Raspberry soda." He laughed as the boy frowned. Obviously, not _anything _he wanted. "Whatever…" Smiling, Jou waved his hand dismissively, not wanting him to worry, "…as long as it's good and cold." The small boy grinned and pitched him a soda from the cooler, smirking when he yelled as the icy metal container landed on his bare chest before he could catch it. "Hey! Watch it!" He mock-glared at him, wiping his now wet hands on his green swim trunks before opening the can.

"Cold enough for you?" Eyes flashing with mischief, the youngest Kaiba brother snickered as Jou stuck out his tongue.

"That's mature, Mutt." Seto's amused voice cut in. Jounouchi turned his head, his even gaze locking with intense blue eyes whose color reminded him of the ocean not far from where the group had set up their little 'picnic'. Ignoring the oft-used moniker and grinning impishly, the blond decided to repeat the rude gesture, crossing his eyes for good measure. Seto merely smirked, one delicate eyebrow rising slightly. A few months ago, the younger boy's reaction would have irritated the teenaged entrepreneur to no end, but after everything that had happened, it seemed as if it was actually a relief to the older boy to see him acting the fool again.

"Hey, Oniisama – I'm going to go play with Yuugi and the guys, okay?" Mokuba's voice broke into Jou's thoughts, and he watched as Kaiba turned immediately into 'Mother Hen'; his eyes quickly scanning over the boy's frame and noting his still dry swimsuit, he frowned at his younger brother.

"All right, but stay out of the water until later, got it? You just ate a little while ago." The brunet's only answer was a wave as the mop-haired boy disappeared down the beach. Jounouchi smiled to himself as Seto took a seat next to him on the warm, sand-laden blanket, the both of them shrouded in a comfortable silence as they watched Mokuba join the group in another friendly game of Volley Ball.

COMFORTABLE. Him. Kaiba. _TOGETHER._ Imagine that.

Yes, the honey-eyed blond mused to himself as he let his mind wander back over the events of the past few months, things had changed quite a bit. Under his breath, with humility and deep gratitude, he thanked every god he could name.

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Have I 'peaked' your interest? Read on, dear viewers – read on!


	2. Ch 01 Harsh Reality

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh; I am only borrowing the characters hearts, minds, souls and bodies to give life to my meager story and to help fuel my feeble fantasy of one day being a 'real' writer. They say 'practice makes perfect' – that goal is a bit out of my reach, but hopefully my tale will make, at the very least, interesting reading. I do, however, own the original characters of Coach Okawa and Detective Tanaka, who appears later in the story.

Constructive criticism is welcome – the pointing out of errors is very much appreciated, but be gentle; this is my first foray into putting my stories 'out there' for the public. Arigato and onward with the show!

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**Chapter One "Harsh Reality"**

Jounouchi sobbed brokenheartedly, his face hidden in his hands as he slid down the brick wall until he finally came to rest on the wet, dirty pavement of the dark alley. Drawing up his legs and wrapping his arms around them, he buried his head in his knees, his shoulders shaking convulsively with each gut-wrenching cry.

It wasn't the first time that he was cold – or hungry. It wasn't the first time that his body ached from the beating that his father had given him, or the first time that he felt the heavy weight of exhaustion from the lack of sleep caused from trying to rest with one-eye-open to protect himself when his father was on a all-night rampage. It definitely wasn't the first time that he felt shame for hiding what his father did to him from his friends – for lying to them; nor was it the first time that circumstances had made him feel that 'someone up there' was having a good laugh at his expense – the Fates had certainly not been kind to him by any scope of the imagination. It was, however, the first time that he had felt utterly, completely, and totally helpless to do _anything_ about the situation. He knew his father would make good on his threat to involve his sister if he continued to see her. He was putting her in danger by merely being in her presence, but the thought of giving her up was tearing his heart to pieces. It had been devastating to both siblings when their parents had divorced, splitting the children, seemingly with no care or thought as to its effect on either one – being apart had been hard on Shizuka, true, but for Jounouchi it had been seven years of hell, suffering through brief phone calls and censored letters trying to keep the tenuous connection he had between his sister and himself alive. She was actually the only thing that _really_ mattered to him other than his friends, and more precious to him than his next breath of air. Being the cold, calculating man that his father was, he _knew_ the fact that the two had only been recently reunited made those feelings even more pronounced and he was using it to full advantage. Now it seemed that, in order to save the one true treasure in his life, Jou was going to have to lose it_ – AGAIN._

Jounouchi moaned, the pain in his heart greater by far than any physical pain in his bruised and battered body; physical pain which had, finally, receded to a dull, throbbing ache from the earlier excruciating agony his father had dealt him. Unable to find an appropriate 'tool' to his liking, he had finally settled on an extension cord from one of the living room lamps as his 'weapon of choice'. He had stated, smirking, that it was really perfect – lightweight, easy to handle and almost impossible to break, and then proceeded to use it on the blond boy very effectively, making sure to avoid his face and any other body part that could not be hidden by clothing until the 'evidence' of his work had a chance to fade. It was a routine that Jounouchi had become quite accustomed to over the length of his short lifetime. No telltale signs meant no questions and no questions meant safety, not only for his father, but in an odd way, for himself as well. As bad as it was, it could always get worse – the quickest and surest way for the hell he was in to escalate was to risk his father's ire by letting him know an 'outsider' was asking questions about what might be going on – and he _would_ know. Somehow, he always _KNEW_. This time had been no different.

It had started out innocently enough. It had been nearly three weeks since the last 'black mood' his father was prone to - he didn't know what anyone else might call it; all he knew was that the anger rolled off of his father in waves so strong when the curtain-of-darkness descended that he could almost physically see it and he would instantly start shaking, knowing that no matter what he did or did not do, he would be punished.

_Three weeks_. It was the longest he had every gone without feeling his father's wrath. He should have known his luck wouldn't hold.

_His father had come home from work already seething – he apparently had had a really BAD day. Jounouchi didn't know exactly what his father's 'work' entailed. He did not question things like that any longer – he had learned early on not to, seeing that the answers usually came in the form of a backhand across the face. He had his suspicions, however, that whatever it was might be on the slightly 'shady' side. Because of that, he believed that what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. He hoped not, at least._

_He had managed to make it through their meager dinner without too much of a problem and now stood at the sink of the small kitchen, as he did every night, finishing up the dishes. His father, as usual, had taken up residence in the old brown leather recliner in the living room, nursing a cold one and glaring at the television screen. That's when it happened. The phone rang._

_He had been so lost in his own thoughts that, at first, the fact didn't register – he had been trying to figure out a way to keep the delicate balance he had been fortunate enough to find on the invisible tightrope that he walked on a daily basis going the rest of the night – and when realization hit him, it was too late. His father had already picked up the phone._

_Usually, when it was a classmate, his father would mutter some sort of acknowledgment and then hand him the phone, standing off to the side to carefully monitor his end of the conversation. This time, however, it was apparent that the person on the other end had said something that had immediately caught his attention – Jounouchi watched from the doorway, _

_swallowing nervously, as his father's dark amber eyes narrowed dangerously, a deep frown forming on his face in his displeasure. Wide, honey-brown eyes blinked in fear as the sixteen year old listened intently to his father's terse questions and his short, pointed replies, his heart dropping to the pit of his stomach as his father's face darkened with each word spoken. Whatever was being said was not good, at least where he was concerned._

"_Is that so? I see…yes, I'll be sure and ask him. Yes, of course. Thanks so much for calling."_

Jounouchi sniffled, raising his tear-stained face to the heavens as he felt the rain begin again, the memories washing over him only serving to increase the chill he felt from the night air on his already wet skin. Blond hair plastered to his forehead, he closed his burning eyes as he recalled the events from earlier that evening, the bitter truth now a sour taste in his mouth. After being thrown out of the apartment by his father into the pouring rain, he had run until his legs ached and his lungs burned, finally finding himself in downtown Domino. When he had caught his breath and thought a bit, he'd realized that the Coach was only trying to help. He was a caring, quiet man; a great teacher – he hadn't meant to make things worse. He was concerned for one of his student's welfare and had every right to question what he had seen – the fault was his. As usual, he had screwed up.

_He should have been more careful. He hadn't been thinking – forgetting the horror of his life for a while, he had joined in with his friends' innocent fun in the locker room after gym class. Honda and Otogi had managed to corner Ryou and, knowing the gentle-voiced boy's shy demeanor, had both decided it would be amusing to 'pants' the teen just to see how deep the white-haired boy's blush could really get. They had a friendly wager on the outcome and, after all, the only ones still left in the locker room, discounting themselves and Ryou, were Jounouchi and Yuugi – and one very disapproving Seto Kaiba – so it was a harmless prank amongst friends. No one noticed Coach Okawa standing in the shadow of his office door, a bemused expression on his face as he watched a screaming Ryou try to calm his fit of giggles as Honda and Otogi waged a tickle-war to get the uncooperative teen to uncross his legs so that the 'dirty deed' could be done. Yuugi was faring no better. The violet-eyed teen was laughing so hard at his friends' antics that Jounouchi wasn't sure how he was still breathing. At the moment, he had his arms wrapped around his stomach, the tears coursing down his cherubic face as he tried, unsuccessfully, to contain his mirth. The only dark cloud in the room was Seto Kaiba, who sat with a scowl on his face, his blue eyes following every movement with icy disdain._

Jounouchi wearily rubbed the back of his arm across his red and swollen eyes, the coolness of his soaked school uniform doing little to help his aching head. It had all felt so right, but it had all gone so wrong. He sighed forlornly, wondering idly if it was meant to be like this – maybe some people were marked from birth – classified as 'deserving' or 'undeserving' of an easy life. Why _did_ it always seem like the ones who cared for nothing or no one held all the power,

while the others struggled for what little they had, only to have it taken away from them in the end? _WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? _The question kept whirling around in his head with no answer forthcoming, as he remembered the events that had lead to his downfall.

_Honda and Otogi had finally managed to 'pants' Ryou, much to the chocolate-eyed boy's embarrassment – he was trying mightily to put up a angry front, but the twinkle in his eyes gave it away that there were no bad feelings on his part. He had been chasing Honda and Otogi around and around the locker room for the better part of fifteen minutes trying to recover said article of clothing; needless to say, he had had no luck catching the two slightly older boys. Finally, out of sheer desperation, he had decided that he needed a diversion – something to slow the other two down. Knowing that what he was planning to do would absolutely MORTIFY Yuugi, he turned to the only other 'unwilling participant' available at the moment. Completely ignoring Seto Kaiba, who still sat with a look of disgust on his face, he turned sharply, heading away from Honda and the black-haired youth straight towards Jounouchi. His actions had the desired effect. Both boys slowed, and then stopped altogether to see what he would do next. Jounouchi's eyes widened in surprise, but before he could make a move, the British exchange student had, in one fluid motion, duplicated his other two classmates earlier prank, leaving the blonde's gray sweatpants pooling around his ankles. An awkward silence instantly enveloped the room. Yuugi looked up at his best friend, amethyst eyes showing deep concern and confusion as he pointed to the cause for his sudden worry. "Jounouchi, what's that?"_

Closing his eyes and resting his head against the rough red brick of the alley wall, the guilt-racked teen went over, for what seemed like the hundredth time, the lie he had used to cover-up his father's 'handiwork' on _this_ occasion.

_It had been the standard one about 'an old gang rival out for revenge', with a few changes here and there for flavor's sake. Only this time, for some unknown reason, he hadn't been so convincing – he could tell by Yuugi's and the others' expressions. Even Seto Kaiba seemed not to believe a word of it – the brunet's cerulean eyes narrowing as the frown deepened on his face, his gaze boring a hole in the blond boy's back. Pointedly ignoring the reaction his explanation was receiving, the slightly blushing adolescent busied himself with taking care of removing the offending sweatpants completely, quickly tugging on the lower half of his school uniform. Rising up, Jounouchi again met with Yuugi's pleading eyes, the hurt and sadness evident within their depths. He KNEW that Jounouchi was lying – the boy could tell – but before he could say anything further, the bell rang, and he watched as, with a desolate sigh, Yuugi rose from the bench on which he had been sitting, tears already forming in the corners of his usually sparkling eyes. Honda and Otogi hesitated briefly before following Yuugi out of the locker room, while Ryou stood looking anxiously between Jounouchi and his other friends, his former merriment gone, deep regret and confusion etched on his delicate features. He opened his mouth as though to say something, but seemed to think better of it and closed it again, making his way quietly to catch up with the larger group, leaving Jounouchi alone in the now subdued locker room with Seto Kaiba. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Kaiba's sardonic voice broke the silence._

"_That's quite a bruise, Mutt." Cool blue eyes locked onto him like a heat-seeking missile to a target, unwavering and inescapable; the young CEO's mouth was drawn into a thin line, his displeasure obvious, although what he was displeased with was anyone's guess. For all Jounouchi knew, it was merely being in the same room with HIM that had caused the older boy's foul mood. Not receiving a reply, the taller boy continued, leaning back against the locker room wall, arms crossed over his chest as if not really caring if he answered or not. "You know, you're as good at lying as you are at playing Duel Monsters, which isn't saying much." Still not getting a response, he goaded the smaller boy further. "Of course, it's almost impossible to teach an old dog new tricks, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." It was clear from his reaction that he wasn't expecting the answer he got._

"_Yer right, on all counts." With that said, Jounouchi walked out of the locker room, leaving behind a stunned and, for the first time in his life, speechless, Seto Kaiba._

_Jounouchi spent the rest of the day trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. He remained unusually quiet, head down, avoiding the glances of his friends as they tried to get his attention whenever the teacher's back was turned. Honda sat to his left, two seats up, with Otogi next. Every once in a while, tilting his head slightly to look through his bangs, Jou could see the mahogany-haired boy turn around, his deep hazel eyes burning with questions, a glower on his face. Otogi as well tried to get the blond to respond, his hypnotizing green eyes frequently __drifting over to study the younger boy's hunched form with open concern. Ryou, sitting directly behind Jounouchi, had tried passing notes to the boy_ _only to have each one refused – or more correctly, ignored completely. Only Yuugi had made no further attempt to find out_ _what was going on with his best friend. He sat to Jou's right, two seats up, head bowed and droop-shouldered, the open book on his desk showing the distinct evidence of tears on its well-worn pages. Anzu, sitting directly across from Yuugi, but against the far wall, had been watching all of them with anxious and confused eyes; not knowing what had transpired in the locker room, she couldn't fathom why everyone seemed so distant and on edge, and it was upsetting her greatly, especially where Yuugi was concerned. Seto Kaiba sat in his usual spot at the back of the room, unnoticed but soaking everything up like a sponge, icy blue eyes showing no emotion as he watched the mini-drama playing out before him._

_Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the bell signaling the end of the last period sounded, and without so much as a look back, the distraught blond bounded from his seat and out of the classroom like the demons of Hell were on his heels, disregarding the startled looks and shouts from his myriad of stunned friends._

_Half an hour later, he found himself at his apartment door, breathing heavily and perspiring profusely, having run all the way. Checking his watch with a relieved sigh, he realized that he had just enough time to take a shower and start dinner before his father was due home. At least, that was ONE thing that had gone right that day._

A sudden flash of lightening and the following clap of thunder startled the bone-weary teen awake. Thoroughly soaked and chilled to the depths of his soul, Jounouchi cautiously arose from the hard concrete, clinging to the alley wall for support. He ached all over, and his legs felt like over-cooked spaghetti – it took him more than a few tries before he found the strength to take a step. Concentrating all of his effort into putting one foot in front of the other, he finally made it to the end of the alley and onto the open street. Looking up as he leaned his weight against the façade of the building, he noticed the time on the new clock the bank across the street had just installed, and groaned.

It would be morning soon. School. He _had_ to go to school. He couldn't risk giving someone else a reason to call his apartment with questions; he didn't think that he could survive another confrontation with his father so soon.

Blinking back his exhaustion, Jou tried to clear his head and think. The trouble was that he needed a change of clothes and a place to get warm and dry; however, he didn't think that he could make it back to his apartment and then to school. The lack of sleep and food, coupled with the beating he had been given had taken its toll – being in the cold rain had certainly NOT helped.

Examining his rumpled school uniform under the dim illumination coming from the street lamp, he saw that most of the dirt and blood had been washed out by the heavy rain – it would hardly be noticeable once it dried. It would have to do. He would go to school early and clean up in the boy's bathroom. He had done it many times before.

Taking a steadying breath, the blond started down the deserted street, the still 'flashing red' traffic lights testifying to the earliness of the hour. Jou shivered; flipping up the collar on his school uniform jacket, he huddled his arms tightly to his body as the wind picked up and the rain began to fall in torrents. With a dejected sigh, he began the long journey to the relative safety of the local 'institution of learning', otherwise known as Domino City High.

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Please, if you have any thoughts on the story so far – review! I am anxious to hear any comments that you might have, whether it be on writing style or story content; but be patient – the first few chapters are for the establishment of characters and background. Thanks in advance!


	3. Ch 02 Hopes, Dreams and Negative Numbers

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, and it breaks my heart – but I shall forge ahead with head held high!

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**Chapter Two "Hopes, Dreams and Negative Numbers"**

Suichi Okawa was male, twenty-five, brown-haired and green-eyed, and in most opinions, rather attractive. He didn't have the fabled 'movie star' good looks, but a respectable handsomeness that went well with his quiet demeanor and the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. He had a wry sense of humor, didn't take himself too seriously, and wasn't above a good joke or slightly risqué comment - as long as he wasn't in _mixed _company, that is. He had also been known to pull a prank or two in his time, always stopping short of letting them become dangerous or cruel; unlike some others, he had an uncompromising sense of fair-play that always kicked in and let him know just how far to go. He wasn't the first person you would think of to ask to a party or function, but he was always welcomed and included in the group. If he were part of a sailing ship, he would have been the anchor – tucked back out of the way, but always there when needed, keeping everyone grounded, safe and on an even keel.

That's what was bothering him now. Everything he had seen rubbed against the very nature of his being, and the worry had given him an unsettled night with little sleep and a feeling of having done something wrong without meaning to. Resigning himself to the fact that rest was out of the question, he had decided to get up and come to work early and was now sitting in his car in the Domino High parking lot, waiting for the rain to let up enough to make a dash for the School's front door. It was giving him much too much time to think about his phone conversation with Katsuya Jounouchi's father – he had never met the man face-to-face, but he had felt an instant dislike for him upon hearing the detached coolness in his voice when he had told him about the bruise and Jounouchi's claim of being attacked. The fact that his son was injured seemed to leave the man unfazed, and Suichi could not understand how anyone, much less a parent, could react that way. It made his stomach turn and the hairs on the nape of his neck stand on end.

He sighed and rubbed his bottle-green eyes tiredly; the car radio was broken and it was at times like these that he really missed his cigarettes. Smoking was a bad habit that he had picked up in high school, started out of stupidity, acquiescence to peer-pressure and a need to somehow deal with his own case of severe shyness. He had finally quit after witnessing the death of a close relative from lung disease – but even after five years, there were still times that he yearned for one. It was psychological, he knew; a crutch to settle his nerves and slow down an ever-racing mind, but the urge was as real as the car he was sitting in, even after all this time.

A streak of lightening to his left caught his attention, and looking out of the driver side window, he suddenly spotted a figure in blue heading toward the building's double doors. As it moved closer, he realized, with a start, that he recognized the runner's speed and easy gait, even without being able to see the person's features through the heavy downpour. It was Jounouchi; he was sure of it, and he frowned, wondering what the teen was doing at the school at that time of the morning. He knew for a certainty that there were no activities scheduled – and even though Jounouchi was known as somewhat of a troublemaker, he'd dismissed the thought of school vandalism immediately – from what he understood, the majority of the boy's detentions had been for fighting, although those instances had been getting fewer and fewer as time wore on, and most of those had been when he was sticking up for the weaker, more timid classmates who couldn't or wouldn't take up for themselves. So, what was the youth doing there so early? Perhaps, like him, it was due to the inability to sleep – or was there another, less obvious reason?

Shaking his head, he watched as the sprinting form reached the doors and slipped inside. Muttering to himself about the stupidity of coming out on a rainy day without an umbrella, Suichi left the relative dryness of his car to follow the boy inside. He was immediately drenched – getting to his goal was more like crossing a raging river than a parking lot, and by the time he made it, even his shoes and socks were soaked through – and he found himself wondering idly how long the boy had been out in the storm. If it had been for more than just a few minutes, he had to have been miserable; even now, Suichi found himself shivering violently from the cold, and he knew the suit jacket he was wearing was considerably heavier than the school uniform the youngster was clothed in. Stopping for a moment just inside the double doors of the main hall, he cupped his hands to his face, blowing into them in a futile attempt for warmth, his gaze being drawn down to the trail of water on the tiled-linoleum floor by its reflection of the emergency lighting in the dimly lit hallway. Well, at least it seemed that he would have no trouble following the boy – he had as good as left a road map reading 'this way to your destination', or he thought with amusement, as the saying went in the old American westerns that his father had been so fond of, '_he went that-away!' _The question was, should he follow him? Or rather, should he _confront_ him and try to find out what was _really_ going on? There was a nagging voice in the back of his head that was warning him that from now on he had better tread carefully – that if the boy really was in some sort of trouble that he might not be willing to talk about it to an adult, at least, not right away. Maybe he had said something to his friends? From what Suichi had witnessed in the locker room, he didn't think so, but they knew Jounouchi better than he did, so even if he hadn't, maybe they might have some suspicions about what might be bothering the young man. Perhaps, his first course of action would be to speak with them; _then_ he could have a talk with Jounouchi if his fears weren't laid to rest. It was worth a try.

His decision made, Suichi shoved his frigid hands into his jacket pockets and started off down the empty corridor, tracking the waterlogged youth by the puddles on the freshly waxed floor. First, he would make sure the boy was all right, then he would bide his time until the other students arrived, and try to figure out a way to talk with them without raising any 'red flags'. He was hoping that he could get rid of the uneasiness that he was feeling, and finally, get some sleep. He certainly needed it.

Meanwhile, unaware that he was being discreetly followed by his favorite teacher, Jounouchi had managed to make his way to the boy's bathroom on the main level of the building where he quickly dried off, as much as was humanly possible, and finger-combed his messy golden locks into some semblance of order, not that it really mattered all that much. They never stayed that way, even on a good day. His hair seemed to be as unruly as his life was; and just like his life, there seemed to be no way to straighten it out. What he wouldn't give to have just one day of _not_ feeling like a caged animal - of being able to show his 'true' face to his friends without having to fear for his safety - or more importantly, _THEIRS_. Yes, besides losing his sister, his other greatest fear, even greater than him being hurt, or worse, by his father, was the fear of his father hurting one of his _friends_. Honda or Anzu, or God forbid, _Yuugi! Especially_ Yuugi! The thought of his father hurting his small best friend nearly made him physically ill – he would gladly suffer any amount of pain to keep the one's he cared for safe. If that meant keeping secrets from them, and risking losing their friendship in order to do so – well, he would do it; begrudgingly, regretfully, and with a sorrowful heart, but he _would_ do it.

Taking one last look in the mirror, Jounouchi realized that his appearance was as good as it was going to get under the circumstances, considering that what he had to work with wasn't all that great to begin with, at least, according to his father. He was constantly telling the tender-hearted boy how useless he was; how stupid and insignificant, and that he would never amount to anything – that is, whenever he addressed the boy at all, which was usually when he was punishing him for some 'offense', either real or imagined, or when he was barking orders like a Marine drill sergeant.

Barking orders.

BARKING.

Jounouchi winced at the image that conjured up, as he left the bathroom for the empty classroom across the hall. There was only one other person that could make him feel worth even less than his father could, and that was the one person that he had wanted to impress the most. The one person that he had been in awe of and looked up to from the first time that he had laid eyes on him – _Seto Kaiba._

Closing the door quietly behind him, Jounouchi walked over to take a seat by the windows, the clock on the wall showing him that he had more than two hours before the first bell. Crossing his arms on the desk and laying his head down, he wondered to himself if his friends would be shocked to know the real reason that he had wanted so badly to learn the game of Duel Monsters. Sure, it had eventually led to his ability to pay for his sister Shizuka's eye surgery, but in all fairness, that was _not_ the reason that he had become so fascinated with the game in the first place. The truth was, he had secretly known about Kaiba's obsession with the game before he had come that day to the Kame Game Shop, and even knew that he was national champion. He had been doing research; trying to find something he had in common with the young CEO – a means to approach the older boy and start a friendly conversation. A way to get himself NOTICED.

It had not worked out that way, however. The young man who had left him 'star-struck' with his power and seeming ability to handle any situation, had turned a cold shoulder, finding it preferable to throw insults and taunts instead of extending the hand of friendship. It had left Jou confused and deeply hurt – at first he thought, maybe, as time went on and he got better at the game, that the blue-eyed 'iceberg' might thaw a bit, but the opposite was true. The taunts and insults had only gotten worse as his skills increased, and the only way he could hide the hurt was by turning it into anger. The only thing that his efforts had brought to him was the bitter taste of rejection, more loneliness and a feeling of further isolation.

Sighing forlornly, Jounouchi wondered how his father and Seto Kaiba could make him feel like he was nothing so easily - no, _LESS_ than nothing - with a mere look or a word. He chuckled ruefully to himself, remembering the confusion of one of the other students one day in math class when they were discussing negative numbers – he couldn't seem to grasp the theory of something being 'lower than zero'. Math had never been Jounouchi's best subject either, but he had no problem with understanding the concept of something being 'less than nothing'; he 'lived, breathed and slept' the idea every day of his life, with steadfast reinforcement by his father; whether he needed it or not.

He had tried to hate them – God _knows_, he had tried; tried to focus all his pain, rage and misery on the two beings that were the bane of his existence, but he couldn't. It just wasn't in him to hate, and that was the crux of his problem. With hatred came a ruthless kind of strength – a strength that knew no mercy, no kindness – that brokered no leeway in getting to a goal. With that kind of strength he could break his body free of his father's power over him, but what would he be giving up for that freedom? Would the price he paid be worth it? If it meant becoming _LIKE_ his father in order to _escape_ his father, was he willing to do that? He shuddered at the thought.

Thinking of his father led his thoughts directly to the other person that seemed to despise the very ground he walked on – _Seto Kaiba._ He had wanted so desperately to win the older boy's respect – Seto, on the outside, resembled Jou's father so much in mannerisms and attitude, and yet, Jounouchi knew he was really nothing like him. He could tell by the way the brunet looked at and spoke to his younger brother – how much care he took with him. Just as Jou's sister was everything to him, Mokuba was equally important to Seto. The blond teen understood that. He also understood that, just as he had been pondering over the price he was willing to pay for his freedom, that somewhere along the way the other boy must have puzzled over the answer to the same question. The only difference was he had been willing to sacrifice what Jou could not – but was it really gone? He didn't think so. Just as he had turned his hurt into rage, he believed that Seto had redirected his into forming supposedly unbreakable emotional defenses – that was the reason he kept trying to reach out – to shatter the permafrost that seemed to have a hold on his classmate's heart. He saw too much of what he _could_ become in the other youth. He _COULDN'T_ let it go.

Somewhere along the way though, he had exhausted most of his options, seeming to find stumbling blocks no matter which direction that he took with the seventeen-year old computer genius – as determined as he was to climb over the psychological ramparts he had constructed as protective walls, Jou found the other just as determined to repel the assault, leaving him at a loss as to how to continue and wondering, dejectedly, if he had made any headway at all.

Now, facing his father's emotional blackmail, Jounouchi wasn't sure that he had enough stamina to wage a war on two fronts, and that uncertainty frightened him. It was as if he were caught in an invisible quagmire – the more he struggled, the deeper he was drawn in and the weaker he became; and to compound the problem, his father was, slowly but surely, forcing him to cut all the tethers to any life-lines he might have.

With a soft sigh, the autumn blond closed his eyes tightly– he didn't know if the cause was from lack of food or from thinking too hard, but whatever it was it had left him with a terrible headache and a case of severe depression. Deciding that he was not likely to find himself the recipient of anymore unwanted trouble, at least within the time span of the next two hours, and trying to ease the persistent throbbing in his head, he willed himself to let his body relax and soon drifted off into a fitful sleep.

From outside, soft green eyes watched the boy with concern through the slightly smudged, fingerprint-laden glass of the classroom door. The solitary figure remained, silent and unmoving, until the sound of gentle snoring reached its ears, then it swiftly departed, disappearing down the badly lit corridor.

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A review would be very welcome – see that little button there? Just click on it and you'll be surprised by what happens! Ja Ne!


	4. Ch 03 Like Father, Like Son?

**Disclaimer: **I, unfortunate being that I am, do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh; however, in my next life…

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**Chapter Three "Like Father, Like Son?"**

Hirotaka Jounouchi was NOT a nice man. Standing nearly six feet tall, with a lean build that belied his actual strength, the dark-eyed, handsome golden-blond thirty-five year old was a 'sneak peek' at what Nature had in store for the teen-aged duelist in the not-so-distant future.

However, while their physical appearance left no doubt as to the fact that they were related, the similarities ended there. Whereas Katsuya Jounouchi had a natural comic wit, was gregarious and exuded warmth, Hirotaka was exactly the opposite. Cold, self-centered and with nerves of steel, his persona reminded one of a snake ready to strike, and he could be just as deadly.

He rarely smoked, never touched drugs, and although he did drink – mostly beer, with a shot of hard liquor on occasion – he NEVER allowed himself to actually get drunk; not anymore. That would mean losing control and Hirotaka Jounouchi never lost control of _anything_, not if he could help it. On the few rare instances that he had, there had been Hell to pay for those who surrounded him. Katsuya's mother was a prime example.

They had been married when he was eighteen. Love had nothing to do with it. It had been done out of necessity, a result of a night of hard drinking, on his part, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time, on hers. She was the innocent young beauty, and he the young, good-looking 'bad ass' who was constantly in trouble and constantly worming his way out of it. She had come to the bar to locate a friend, and instead had ended up waking the next morning in a cheap apartment, not remembering much of anything that had happened after accepting a drink from 'the nice young man' her friend had introduced her to. Shy and inexperienced in worldly matters, she had been charmed by the boy, and between that and the shame she felt, she had kept the incident to herself; that is, until she found herself pregnant three months later. HE wasn't hard to track down, given his penchant for danger and being on the wrong-side of the law. SHE, on the other hand, was from an old, well-established family who, although not wealthy by any means, through 'connections' had power and, afraid of a scandal, gave him an ultimatum – marriage or jail. His choice, if you wanted to call it that, was obvious. Six months later, after a hastily thrown together wedding, Katsuya was born. Faced with the unwanted responsibility of a family seemingly overnight, and unable to relieve his unhappiness on his own, Hirotaka immediately found his escape by torturing his new wife both mentally and physically.

The abuse only became worse as time wore on, and by the time Shizuka arrived three years later, he had already begun to abuse Katsuya, as well. It didn't help matters when the doctors informed them of the problem with Shizuka's eyes, and the fact that without expensive surgery, their daughter was likely to be blind by her middle-teens. It was just another irritating problem amid a host of problems that Hirotaka really didn't care to deal with. Isolated and essentially alone, for all intents and purposes, with two small children to take care of, Katsuya's mother had borne the suffocating marriage until it had nearly broken her – finally, unable to stand it any longer, and having pinched her pennies, scraping together a small nest-egg from the meager household allowance her 'husband' had deemed fit to give her, she had packed their bags and made plans to leave with the children; destination, unknown. However, that was not to be. Hirotaka had discovered her intentions at the last minute; wanting to punish her for daring to scheme behind his back, even though he actually was glad to be getting rid of the hassle of having to take care of, at least for appearances sake, a 'mousy' wife and an 'imperfect' daughter, he decided the best way was to deny ALL of them what they wanted most – to be _together_. He not only was able to make his ill-prepared wife leave without Katsuya, telling her that if she didn't, he would force her to leave _both_ children behind, but using his 'connections' he made sure that, when the divorce became final, he was awarded custody of the boy, much to his wife's and the two siblings' dismay. Shizuka understood only that she could no longer see the big brother she loved so dearly; Katsuya, being a little older, understood the concept of 'divorce', but was still too young to understand the circumstances involved, and therefore held a bitter resentment against his mother for leaving him behind without a fight. Hirotaka had merely sat back and enjoyed the fruits of his labor with a satisfied smirk.

Over the past seven years, he had done everything he could to reinforce the boy's attitude toward his ex-wife, but it had all come to naught when the brat had won second place in the Duelist's Kingdom tournament. Not only did he lose out on any of the prize money Katsuya had won – the boy had immediately signed the money over to the hospital, with the help of Mutou's grandfather and the hospital's lawyers, making sure it would only be used for Shizuka's surgery and nothing else – but it had also marked the reemergence of a shaky, but steadily growing, relationship with his estranged mother. Without hesitation, Hirotaka had stepped in to quash the building rapport, doing everything within his means to keep the mother and son apart. After all, he couldn't have them upsetting the apple-cart – he was quite satisfied with the way things were and the power that he welded over the three _playthings_ that were his favorite distractions in life.

Now, sitting in his recliner holding the phone, Hirotaka smirked. He had been very upset at the time at the loss of the extra revenue, it was true, and Katsuya had paid the price, heavily, for his quick thinking. However, in the last few months, an idea had begun to take shape in the older Jounouchi's brain – a way to replace the money that he felt he had been 'cheated' out of – and a way to further tighten the invisible chains that bound his ever struggling son to himself. He smiled widely as the phone rang, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he answered, knowing without asking who was on the other end of the line. "Well? Do you have the information I asked for?"

He waited, listening intently to the terse reply, and chuckling darkly in response. This was going to be easier than he thought, it seemed. "Good. Meet me at the usual place. Nine o'clock. Don't be late…" he paused, then added with a smirk, "…and by the way, I'll have Katsuya with me. I think it's about time he found out what his old man does for a living, don't you 'Bolts'?" He laughed harshly at the obscenities growled into his ear through the receiver. "Don't worry. Every thing's going along as planned. Just make sure you get the supplies that we'll need and I'll take care of the rest." Hanging up, Hirotaka grinned wickedly as he dropped the phone onto the carpeted floor by his chair.

So, Katsuya thought he was out-of-the-woods when he tied up his winnings where he couldn't get to them, did he? He was going to learn, once and for all, that he couldn't win – he _always_ got what he wanted, one way or another. Glancing over at the clock sitting on the bookshelf, he mentally counted off the hours he had before the caramel-eyed teen was due home, and smiled. Katsuya was in for quite a surprise - him, his friends, and most of all, his son's well-known rival, S_eto Kaiba_. His smile grew wider.

Yes, QUITE a surprise, indeed.

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Ah ha! The plot thickens! Care to guess what's up? Jou's father is a jerk, so there's no telling – and I'm the one writing the story! They do have minds of their own, it seems. Click on the button and leave a review and a guess…who knows, you may get it!


	5. Ch 04 Truth or Consequences

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. I do, however, own the Japanese DVDs, funky subtitles and all – does _Mokuba_ really mean 'Wooden Horse' in Japanese? I don't know…Oh, yeah – I also own the original characters of Suichi Okawa, Detective Tanaka and 'Bolts'. The origin of his name will be explained, I promise! Now, on to the (hopefully) good stuff!

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**Chapter Four "Truth or Consequences"**

First period had SUCKED, big time. Of the seven classes that the school day consisted of, his friends were in three of them en mass, History being one of them. Usually, Jounouchi was thankful for that fact – not being all that great of a student, he could always count on one of the group to help him out with notes, or in studying for an upcoming test. In truth, they were the _real_ reason he was barely passing. However, it seemed that the incident of the day before was still weighing heavily on everyone's mind; the atmosphere in the classroom was subdued and none of his classmates seemed very talkative – even the teacher noticed the unusual tenseness as she sat at her desk after taking attendance, warily eying the students for any sign of brewing trouble. The fact that Jounouchi was already in the classroom when she had arrived had been enough to set her on edge – it was, after all, standard practice for him to be late. She actually looked _forward_ to the excuses the blond could come up with for his frequent tardiness; it was one of her few sources of entertainment during the long school day. Finding HIM there before her had her idly wondering if the World was really coming to an end, or if, perhaps, the Devil had skated to work that morning.

Now, between classes, Jounouchi found himself at his locker getting ready to exchange textbooks – History for Science – when out of the corner of his eye he saw Anzu approaching, a determined look on her pretty face. Mentally, he groaned at the sight. Kaiba might call HIM a dog, but the blond thought the description more befitting the young dancer-to-be; as in 'dog with a bone' – once she got a hold of something, she never let it go. Usually, he had no problem with that; it was one of her best attributes. Her single-mindedness had helped him and Yuugi out of more than one bad situation. However, being on the _receiving_ end wasn't his idea of fun. Unfortunately, he saw no way out. He was trapped. So, taking a deep breath, he waited for her to speak first.

"Jounouchi, we need to talk."

Turning to face her, he tried to feign ignorance. "About what…?"

It didn't work.

Hands on her hips, her periwinkle blue eyes narrowing, Anzu frowned deeply. "Honda told me what happened. We're all worried about you – Yuugi is SO upset, and Yami is _furious_; he believes that you were lying when you said that you were in a gang fight. Were you…" she paused, "…lying?"

"Why would I lie?" He answered, his mouth going suddenly dry.

Her eyes narrowed even more as she threw the question back at him. "I don't know – why _would_ you?" Anzu's expression softened. "Jou, you're our friend – if you're in some kind of trouble, we want to help. We CARE about you. If that sounds corny or cliché, I'm sorry, but it's the truth." She paused, dropping her gaze and adding almost in a whisper, "I know I get annoying sometimes always bringing the subject of friendship up, but the way the world is now, it's too easy to get lost and forget you're not alone. People get involved in their own problems and drift apart." She looked back up at him; wide eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I don't want that to happen to any of us. What we all have is _too_ special."

Jou blinked rapidly, not knowing what to say. She was right, of course. What they had _was_ special. Her words made him feel like an invisible knife was twisting in his gut – he was such a total JERK for deceiving his friends, but what else could he do? His heart in turmoil, he forced himself to paste a fake grin on his face, dropping his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. "No worries. Everythin's fine; really."

The petite brunette studied him silently for a moment, and then closing her eyes with a sigh, she shook her head. "I don't believe you, Jounouchi – I want you to know that." Focusing her gaze on him once again, she went on, " I won't push you any further for the truth right now, but Jou, please…" she hesitated, her voice trembling slightly as she continued, "…be careful. Whatever you're involved in, none of us want to see you hurt. Understand?"

"Yeah…" He mumbled the reply, unsure that he could manage to say anything more, the lump that had formed in his throat at the sound of disappointment in her voice making it hard to swallow.

With her piece said, Anzu turned, quickly making her way back down the hall to where Honda and Otogi were waiting – apparently, unsure as to how to approach him, they had elected Anzu as their emissary; Yuugi and Ryou having, he supposed, already headed for their next class. With a sigh, the dejected teen closed his locker; turning to head in the opposite direction, he found himself face-to-face with none other than _Seto Kaiba_. Jou waited for the taunts and insults to begin; instead, to his great surprise, the older boy merely stood there next to his own open locker, staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face. Then, without so much as a word, he SLAMMED his locker shut and picked up his briefcase, striding swiftly past the very confused sixteen year old almost as if he were angry. The blond watched his back as he disappeared down the quickly emptying hall, but before his befuddled brain could even begin to come up with a plausible reason for the young CEO's strange behavior, the harsh sound of the bell pulled him back to the routine problem he faced on a regular basis – getting through the school day and the rest of his classes. Reluctantly following the path the blue-eyed genius had blazed moments before, textbook in hand, Jou made his way down the now completely empty corridor, wondering if his day could get any worse, and hoping he could make it at least to lunch before finding out.

Lunchtime finally arrived, and while the students ate their lunches in the newly expanded Cafeteria, Coach Okawa sat, alone, eating his in the bleachers by the Domino City High running track, deep in thought. The storms had stopped earlier that morning; even so, the sky was still overcast and looked as if it could erupt in another round of heavy rain at any moment. The unsettled weather fit his mood perfectly.

He had made absolutely NO progress regarding the problem of Katsuya Jounouchi. He had been able to corner, so to speak, a couple of the boy's friends, and had dropped what he hoped was a casual reference to the episode in the locker room, not wanting to seem overly anxious or intimidating – however, if they knew anything, they weren't talking.

He had been particularly careful with the boy named Yuugi Mutou, knowing his tendency for becoming easily upset. He was actually amazed that the youngster had been awarded the title of 'Number One Duelist' in the world – with his personality and his evident shyness being the total opposite of what one would think a duelist's mind-set would be, it perplexed him how he had gotten to that height in ranking, especially against someone like Seto Kaiba, who was the epitome of the typical high-level duelist; cold, ruthless and obsessed with winning. In truth, however it had started, 'Duel Monsters' was as much of a 'game' as Major League Baseball or Football were (_not_), and just as competitive.

Sitting there on the wooden bleacher, chewing on a homemade, and unquestionably tough, steak sandwich, he pondered his next move, unable to get rid of the feeling that he was running out of time. He was out of options, he finally decided – he was going to have to risk going straight to the 'horse's mouth' for answers, and hope he could get the boy to feel comfortable enough with him to open up – he knew he was sitting on a potential powder-keg if what he now suspected was correct. It reminded him of the start of a situation that had happened at the school he had been assigned to when he had first started teaching – it had ended in tragedy and was a memory he would _never_ forget. It was not one of his students, but he had known the teacher whose student it was, and it had devastated her to the point that she had eventually quit the teaching profession. He had no desire to revisit said experience on a personal basis.

Frowning, his appetite suddenly non-existent, the Coach chucked what was left of his lunch and the brown paper bag he had packed it in into the 55 gallon, rusting metal drum that served as the track trash-can with a tired sigh.

"Either the lunch you had was simply atrocious, or you're an awfully light eater."

The unfamiliar voice coming from behind him startled him out of his musings, and he turned in surprise to find a young man with longish black hair, steel-gray eyes and an amused expression on his face, watching him with interest. He was dressed in a moderately expensive, dark blue business suit with matching tie, and a light blue dress shirt, his hair slightly wind-blown as he stood, arms crossed, smirking at the now, totally flustered Suichi.

"It was; I'm not…and who the HELL are you?" He blurted out the first thought that came to his mind and cringed as the other young man burst into rumbling laughter. Not finding the subject of his lunch or the question _that_ humorous, he waited, frowning, for the other to catch his breath and answer.

"My name is Tadashi Tanaka, and _you_ are Coach Suichi Okawa. Nice to meet you."

Suichi's green eyes narrowed. "We've never met. How do you know who I am?" The other man grinned.

"It's my job. I am a 'seeker of information'; a 'purveyor of truth'…" his grin widened, "…otherwise known as a private detective." Reaching inside his suit jacket, he produced a business card, handing it to the shocked Coach with an easy flair. Glancing down at it, Suichi noticed that it wasn't a fancy card – it carried the necessary information of his name, address and contact number – and was as unpretentious as the man himself seemed to be.

"A private detective, huh? What do you want with me? I have no skeletons in my closet…no criminals in the family or ex-wives hidden away somewhere; so what's the deal?"

"Boring life, huh?" Tanaka smirked, his eyes dancing. Suichi snorted.

"Yeah, well what do you expect on a teacher's salary?"

"Touché." Suddenly, his face took on a serious expression. "I'm here to ask a few questions about one of your students; a boy by the name of Katsuya Jounouchi. Mind if I sit down?"

"Help yourself, but I'm not sure I should be discussing one of my students with you." Suichi said warily, eying him with a bit of suspicion. "Is he in some sort of trouble?"

Tanaka smiled slightly. "Maybe – more than he's capable of dealing with, I'm sure. He might be in a VERY dangerous situation in the near future – one I'm trying to prevent."

"I see." Frowning, the brown-haired man tucked the business card into his sweatpants pocket, his gaze locking with the young man's sitting next to him. It didn't take long to make his decision. "What do you want to know?"

Tanaka's smile widened. Taking an instant liking to the man he had just met, he made a suggestion. "Tell you what, since you lead such a boring life, and you're obviously NOT a cook, judging by the lunch you threw away, why don't we meet after school on neutral ground where we can have a little more privacy to talk and fewer prying eyes?" Gesturing over to the fence at the small group of curious students to emphasize his point, he continued, "I'll even buy, as long as it's not _too_ outrageous."

"Okay, it's a deal. There's a little Chinese place over on Third Street, named the 'Butterfly Empress'. We can meet there if you like, say around…. 6:00 pm?"

The detective nodded. "That's fine. I happen to like Chinese food…" he grinned, "…although, when I said not _too_ outrageous, I didn't exactly mean _dirt _cheap."

"Screw you." Suichi grinned back at him, matching mood for mood. "I had to pick somewhere I could afford – after all, what if you ditch and leave me with the check?" His smile faded. "Tell me something…just how bad _is_ this 'trouble' that Jounouchi is in? I mean…are we talking life-or-death here? Or what?"

The black-haired man sighed. "Possibly. I'm not sure of all the details, yet…or all the 'players'. I'll tell you what I know tonight. Do me a favor, though." He looked at him, his appearance deadly serious as he spoke. "Don't talk to the young man until I say so, alright? There are 'eyes' about, and that's _not_ paranoia talking."

Suichi's eyebrow rose at the comment. "How did you know…?" he started, but was interrupted before he could complete the sentence.

"I told you that there were 'eyes' about…and 'ears', for that matter." Tanaka looked away, seemingly studying the oft-used and well-worn track. "He's relatively safe as long as he's in school." He continued, softly, almost as if he were talking to himself, "It's _after_ school that has me worried." Shaking his head, he got up from the bleacher, turning to face Suichi again. "Lunchtime is over – you have classes and I have to get back to work." He held out his hand; his eyes were still serious, but a smile had returned to his face. "It was nice meeting you, Coach Okawa. I look forward to seeing you tonight. We have a lot to discuss."

"Yes, we do." Suichi murmured. Shaking the hand he was offered, he wondered what new insights the person standing before him would be bringing to the problem-at-hand, and if he was equipped to deal with the possible outcomes. Deciding, as he watched the detective make his way up the bleacher stairs, that worrying about it right at that moment was a wasted effort, he turned to make his way back to the gymnasium, the detective's words about 'eyes' and 'ears' echoing through the caverns of his mind.

Realization struck him as he walked through the gymnasium's door, and he stopped in mid-stride – Jounouchi was being _watched_. The question was, by _whom_ and for what purpose? Obviously, Tanaka was one of the observers, otherwise he wouldn't have known of Suichi's plan to speak with the boy; consequently, the only way he would have known about _those_ plans was if he had been watching Jounouchi's friends – and _him_ , as well.

"Damn!" Suichi swore under his breath. The fact that the detective was watching him was unnerving enough; the thought that he might be the object of some _other_ person's scrutiny whose intentions, though unknown, were probably not on the 'up-and-up' gave him the creeps. What's more, he was at least _aware_ that he was being watched – Jounouchi and his friends had no clue. How do you protect yourself from an enemy you don't even know you have?

He had just made it over to the end of the basketball court when the ringing of the bell and the arrival of the first of his next period's students broke his concentration; redirecting his thoughts back to the task of actually _teaching_, Suichi pushed his worries and frustrations to the furthest corner of his mind for safekeeping, mentally starting a list of questions for Tanaka he wanted answered – the first of which was _what_, if anything, did Katsuya Jounouchi's father have to do with what was going on?

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All right! **Chapter Four** is in the bag! The next Chapter will be dealing with _after_ school…and the clearing up of some 'loose' ends. To **Seth-the-lonely-soul**: Thanks for the great review and kind words! You are officially my FIRST REVIEW, ever! **Arigato!**


	6. Ch 05 The Game Begins

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. However, if there is someone out there with a few extra million lying around who's feeling overly generous, my birthday's in October…

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**Chapter Five "The Game Begins"**

Jounouchi had spent his lunch hour in one of his favorite hiding places – the roof of Domino High. He was guaranteed not to be bothered; it was, after all, strictly off-limits after some students had been caught sneaking up there to smoke – but the teen didn't care. It was one of the few places that he could go to be alone and think; where he didn't have to worry about the way he looked or what he said – where he could just be HIMSELF, without having to act the happy-go-lucky, no-cares-in-the-world, _clown_.

He knew what people thought of him. He _knew_ people thought he was stupid – even Honda, whom he considered to be one of his best friends, teased him good-naturedly about always relying on luck and not thinking things through – and _Kaiba_…well, the tall brunet had let him know more than once, in no uncertain terms, what HE thought about the blond boy's intelligence; or rather lack, thereof.

The strange thing was, Jounouchi felt no ill will toward any of his so-called 'tormentors', and that included the icy-eyed master of the 'Blue Eyes White Dragon'. How could he? After all, how could they know that the reason that he often fell asleep in class wasn't because of boredom, but because he had been up all night – or that the reason he couldn't concentrate was because his stomach was cramping from hunger – or that the reason he couldn't sit still was because sometimes his body hurt so badly that just sitting in a chair was agony? How could they know that he laughed many times because the only alternative was to _cry_?

No, the only person he could blame for what others thought of him was himself.

Lunch hour had passed all too quickly; having made it through the forth and most of the fifth period without any major disasters, he had found his uneasiness growing as sixth period approached, not knowing what his friends had in store for him. He was also unsure about the Coach – what was he going to do if the Coach brought the matter up? He had, after all, been suspicious enough about Jounouchi's story to phone his father; lying to his friends was one thing – lying to a teacher could get him into serious trouble. Then again, so could telling the _truth_. The way he saw it, he was DAMNED either way.

To his great surprise, no one had broached the subject. Unbeknownst to him, Jounouchi had been the topic of discussion at the lunch table that day; all of his friends had noticed that he had been a little off-kilter lately – they had jokingly chalked it up to various reasons, most of them having to do with teenage hormones, but the locker room affair had put a decidedly different spin on their way of thinking. They all agreed Jounouchi was hiding something, and from what Anzu had told them of her and Jou's earlier conversation, he wasn't interested in sharing whatever that 'something' was. How much the boy's skewed behavior was affecting the group could been seen in what happened when, unable to agree on exactly what to do, Honda and Otogi had gotten into a major squabble, trading insults and glaring each other down, ready to come to blows; Anzu and Ryou's attempts to placate the battling boys having no effect. It wasn't until Yuugi – mild-mannered, sweet-natured, shy, ever-so-innocent Yuugi who wouldn't hurt a fly, exploded in anger that the fighting ceased – everyone standing frozen, blinking in wide-eyed disbelief at the diminutive teen as he fumed. The shock of the outburst immediately put an end to the argument, and back-on-track, the gang finally decided that all they could do was try to keep an eye on their friend from a safe distance. They knew, without a doubt, that the blond had been avoiding them, and it had left them all feeling hurt, frustrated, confused and deeply concerned. Wanting to be close in case help was needed, while not wanting to push the teen even further away from the group than he already seemed to be drifting, they had agreed that the best course of action to take at the moment was to take none at all.

If the nervous teen had felt relief at his friends ignoring an obvious chance to grill him about his recent difficulties, he had been downright amazed when Coach Okawa also seemed to be 'pretending' that nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Because of the weather, class had been held in the gym; halfway through the hour, the knot in Jou's stomach had finally loosened up enough to where he had no longer felt compelled to stay close to the boy's john. For the rest of the period, he had concentrated on practicing his hoop-shot, working up a good sweat and working out some of the tenseness that had left an ache in his shoulders; his friends, minus one notably-absent Seto Kaiba, engrossed in a close game of Volley Ball at the other end of the court. It was one of their favorite pastimes; a game that people with varying degrees of athletic ability could play without anyone feeling awkward or left-out; usually he and Otogi would have been Captains on opposing sides, both boys enjoying a friendly rivalry ever since the infamous 'Dungeon Dice Monsters' event, but today Honda had taken Jou's place, and unfortunately, his team had ended up been being royally 'creamed' by the other, lead by a smirking Ryuji.

He had skipped the after-class shower, as usual; no one had ever questioned it before – with gym being so near the end of the school day, and all of his classmates being teenagers, many waited until they got home to shower, especially the ones who were self-conscious about their ever-changing bodies – but now, the blond's aversion to showering in front of his friends was bound to bring up questions that he did not feel up to answering, and so he had quickly changed clothes and headed for the last class of the day, beating the gang there by a full ten minutes. Needless to say, the teacher had been speechless.

Other than the fact that Seto Kaiba was not in attendance at this class _either_, the only other significant detail that Jou had noted about the last class of the day was the strained expressions on his friends' faces as they tried to keep up the appearance of 'class-as-usual'; the doe-eyed Ryou looking as if he were absolutely going to _burst_ at any moment from the ever-growing amount of unasked-and-unanswered questions being held within his slender body. As far as Jou had been concerned, the hour couldn't go fast enough. As soon as the bell had rung, he had bolted through the door; only slowing down when he was a block from the school, never once looking over his shoulder to see if his friends were following.

瀬戸城が好き

The 'Butterfly Empress' was a small, but elegant establishment that was a Domino City landmark, having been there for as long as Suichi could remember. It was _not_ your typical Americanized Chinese buffet, but a _real_ Chinese restaurant with _real_ Chinese food; where you could hear the different dialects spoken not only by the patrons but by the workers as they brought the meals, which automatically came with copious amounts of green tea and chopsticks – forks and fortune-cookies had to be asked for. The food was delicious, the prices reasonable and the atmosphere comfortable. It was just the place for a serious, and private, conversation.

He made it there twenty minutes early and selected a table towards the back; giving instructions to the young hostess, who was garbed in a beautiful red dress of embroidered Chinese silk, that he would be joined by a second party. Turning, she spoke to one of the similarly attired male attendants, the unfamiliar words coming out in a 'sing song' fashion that Suichi never got tired of hearing. The young man immediately departed, reappearing almost as quickly with a tray which held a nondescript porcelain teapot and two teacups which he deposited on the table, then left after politely stating, even though stumbling slightly with the language difference, that if he didn't wish to order now, he would return to take the order when his company arrived. Suichi merely smiled and nodded.

Two cups of tea and nine hundred seconds later, a pair of green eyes spotted the tall detective as he sauntered through the door; catching his gaze as he searched the room, Suichi waved him over. Glancing down at his watch, he noted that it was six o'clock _sharp_, and made a mental note that the dark-haired man was right on time, wondering if he had done it to make an impression or if it was truly a character trait. Upon quick reflection, he thought the latter was probably the truth – with his profession, he doubted being late to an appointment was something he could afford to be very often.

Still dressed in his dark blue suit, the only discernible difference in the man who quickly took a chair across from Suichi and the one he had met earlier that day was the look of near exhaustion in the steel-gray eyes. Whatever he had been working on had taken its toll – he just hoped it had nothing to do with Jounouchi. Wanting to start their meeting out on a 'light' note, however, he decided to let the matter lie for the moment. "Are you _always_ so punctual?" Voicing his prior mental observation, he watched as it was greeted by a bemused smirk.

"Hazard of the profession, I'm afraid. There's also NO lying, NO cheating, NO stealing, and the fact that one must always be prepared for _anything_."

Suichi snorted in mock-disbelief. "What _are_ you, some sort of Boy Scout?"

Tanaka looked at him, his smirk widening into a wicked grin. "Believe me when I tell you, I'm no Boy Scout, by _any_ stretch of the imagination." Before he could say anything further, the same young man Suichi had spoken to earlier came to deliver a fresh pot of tea and to take their order. Once he had left, the detective picked up the thread of conversation as if there had been no interruption. "If we're making haphazard observations here, I'd say that you're no Boy Scout, either."

"Now, _why_ would you say that? You don't even know anything about me!"

Pouring Suichi another cup of tea, and then filling his own cup from the small teapot on the table, Tanaka chuckled. "Okay, then. Tell me a little about yourself."

Suichi rolled his eyes. "Such as…?"

"Well…let's start with how long you've been teaching."

"Three years."

"Any particular reason that you became a gym teacher – other than the love of the smell of sweat and dirty gym socks?"

Suichi grimaced. "Now, _that's_ appetizing!"

Tanaka looked up from his teacup, an amused expression on his face. "Well?" he prodded.

The brown-haired man sipped his tea for a moment, and then shrugged slightly. "My parents were teachers. I grew up with a great appreciation of how important the profession is – they instilled in me a love of books and learning, and the knowledge that good health, exercise and nutrition were just as important to that process as textbooks and chalkboards."

"Hmm…you said _were_."

"They're dead."

"Sorry." After a minute of awkward silence, the detective continued. "Any siblings?"

"Only child." Wanting desperately to avoid where the line of questioning was heading, Suichi decided to divert the focus of the conversation. "What about you? How long have you been a private detective?"

"About the same length of time."

"Any good at it?" Suichi asked, his voice holding a teasing tone. Tanaka chuckled, answering without looking up from his still full teacup.

"Time will tell."

"Any brothers or sisters?"

"Two brothers, one sister. My parents are divorced. We don't see much of them. It's…complicated."

"Complicated?"

The older man nodded slightly. "He's a retired policeman. There are…" he paused, "…'issues' we have yet to work through."

"Is he why you became a detective?"

"Could be."

Suichi frowned at the evasive answer – it was obviously a sore subject, so he decided to change directions. "Have you ever been married?"

"No…" Tanaka was silent for a moment as if debating with himself, then he continued quietly, "…I was in a long-term relationship, but it ended a couple of years ago. He decided he couldn't deal with the long hours and uncertainties that came with detective work."

Suichi froze, his teacup halfway to his mouth, green eyes wide. Unsure that he had heard correctly and blinking furiously, he stared at the ebony-haired man, his mind spinning, trying to process the information that he had just been handed. "HE?" He squeaked weakly, and then found himself blushing in horrified embarrassment as the gray-eyed man threw his head back and burst into roaring laughter.

"Don't worry…" Tanaka snorted when he was finally able to take a breath, wiping his eyes with his napkin, his mellow voice still fighting to hold back the laughter, "…you're safe. I don't mix 'business' with 'pleasure'."

Blurting out the first thing that came to his mind, "Thank God! That's a relief!", Suichi shut his eyes and groaned inwardly, his face going an even darker shade of crimson as the young detective was sent into another round of uncontrollable laughter.

"Is it just _me_, or are you _always_ this tactless?"

Opening his eyes, he was saved from answering by the arrival of the attendant with their meal. His cheeks still burning, Suichi busied himself with his food, trying to both regain his self-control _and_ think of a way to salvage the situation. For a few minutes all that could be heard was the sound of chopsticks against rice bowls, then Tanaka's rich voice cut through the uneasy silence.

"As much as I do enjoy teasing you, I think it's time we move on to more important matters – care if we change the subject?" Suichi looked up to see a half-smile on the detective's handsome face and nodded, inwardly relieved. Tanaka went on, his tone more serious. "All right then, tell me about the boy – what's he like?"

His brown brows furrowed, Suichi frowned. "Well, you've been _watching_ him, haven't you?"

"Yes…" Tanaka answered smoothly, ignoring the thinly-veiled accusation, "…that tells me what he _does_, not what he's _like_. Besides, I want to hear what YOU think of the boy – _Katsuya_, right?"

Suichi nodded and laid his chopsticks down, a look of intense concentration taking over his features as he thought about how to answer. What did he really know about the blond adolescent that he only saw for one hour a day, five days a week?

"Well…" He started off slowly, frowning as he searched for the words, "…he's a slightly-above average all-around athlete, but I'd say he's best suited for long-distance running because of his endurance factor…"

Tanaka interrupted, an impatient note in his voice. "Again, you're telling me what he _does_, not what he's _like_."

"No – I'm telling you what I know for sure." Suichi's frown deepened. "The rest is just personal impressions and conjecture."

"Now, we're getting somewhere!" The older man grinned. "Go on."

Sitting back in his ornate, hand-carved wooden chair, Suichi tried again, his voice softer and more hesitant as he spoke, his jade-green eyes holding a faraway look as he recalled all the instances where he had been able to observe the boy and his interactions with his classmates. Many of them had brought a smile to his face at the time, but in light of current events, he now found some of them troubling. "You have to remember that I'm only able to form opinions about my students in bits-and-pieces. Unlike other teachers who can get to know their students not only through class time, but through other means – essay answers on tests or writing assignments, for example, can help a teacher understand the way a student thinks or how he feels about a certain subject, as well as what he's learned – I can only begin to put together a 'picture' of a student by the way he approaches a sport and how he deals with his team mates. Does he give up easily? Does he follow the rules and play fair? Does he look out for his team or is he more concerned with being the 'star'? I can tell a lot about a student by answering these questions, but not _everything_." He paused to take a deep breath and a sip of tea. Tanaka sat listening intently; remaining silent as he watched the younger man gather his thoughts once again before speaking. "I know from hearing the other teachers talk that Jounouchi, at one time, had been a real hothead and troublemaker. He was always getting into fights and ending up in detention or suspended, and was failing every subject – that all seemed to change, according to what I've heard, when he met Yuugi Mutou. This is second-hand information really, since I wasn't here at the time – I don't know how accurate it is." Looking down at the table, he idly played with his chopsticks as he tried to make sense of and put voice to the flickering images flashing in front of his 'mind's' eye. "I can tell you with _absolute_ certainty that he still gets into fights, although apparently not as often, and the reasoning behind them is different…" he smiled wryly, "…even if the results are the same." Tanaka smirked, his gray eyes dancing in understanding. "I can also tell you that his grades in _no way_ reflect that boy's intelligence. He is nowhere near being stupid – although some might like you to think so. It's more like he…" he stopped, frowning in frustration as he tried to articulate the thought. "You've heard the saying 'it takes a thief to catch a thief'?" The detective smiled, and then nodded. "Well, you know then that it refers to the fact that in order to block a thief's next move, you have to be able to _think_ like a thief – to adopt his 'mindset', figure out what drives him to do what he does – you have to learn to be just as cunning and devious; that's the only way that you will eventually be able to catch him."

"That's a 'double-edged sword'…" Tanaka interjected, "…you could also end up getting drawn so deeply into his way of thinking that you lose yourself and end up becoming a thief, as well."

Suichi gave a slight nod, acknowledging the statement. "My point is, Jounouchi only _appears_ to have trouble catching on to some things because his mind isn't normally set to that way of thinking – he has an innate innocence about him that in the wrong hands could be dangerous, especially to _him_."

Tanaka's eyes narrowed at the comment. "We'll come back to _that_, later. There's something else I'd like to ask you right now, if you don't mind?"

"O-okay…" Suichi hesitantly replied, a look of mild confusion gracing his features, as the detective seemed, at least to him, to be switching directions in midstream. He was finding it hard to follow the other man's train of thought, and Tanaka wasn't helping him out by dropping him any clues.

"What can you tell me about the boy's father?"

Suichi's eyes widened in surprise, and then shaking his head, he chided himself silently as he answered, wondering at his own reaction – it was, after all, a very logical thing to ask and he should have seen it coming. Then again, that was why _he _was a teacher and _not_ a private detective. "I've never met the man." He stated flatly, unable to keep the distaste out of his voice. Tanaka caught the tone, one black eyebrow rising in unspoken question. The younger man sighed. "All right – I don't know if this is important or not, but I think I should tell you what happened yesterday." Suichi leaned forward, the meal entirely forgotten as he rested his arms on the linen-covered table, the concern written plainly on his face. "It all started when two of Katsuya's classmates, Honda and Otogi, decided that they wanted to play a prank…"

瀬戸城が好き

Jounouchi stood, perspiring heavily, hunched over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. He had lingered a bit too long at Domino City Park, having headed there after leaving school, knowing that on a day like today, it would be practically deserted and he could have a little more time to himself to try and think things through – but the time had gotten away from him and he had, yet again, found himself having to run like a crazy man to make it home before his father. Now, pausing at the entrance to his apartment building, the streetlights just beginning to flicker as the Sun began to set and evening began to take hold, he was immeasurably relieved to see that his father's car was _not _in its allotted parking space.

Climbing the stairs two at a time, the blond teen made it to '5D' in record time; jamming the key into the lock, he didn't take the time to notice the small flicker of light coming from within the darkened apartment before he had the door open and had stepped inside. It was then that the smell of tobacco smoke hit his nose and the hair began to rise on the nape of his neck, his stomach lurching in cold fear.

Closing the door quietly and turning around, the frightened boy's still-adjusting eyes frantically searched the darkness, the only indication of where his father was being the lazily moving speck of glowing red coming from the end of his lit cigarette, the smirk on his face clearly discernible for only a split-second as he took another draw, the burning ash flaring like a dying star, then going dim again. Jou couldn't see his father's smirk widen as he made note of the fear in the teenager's eyes. With a voice so cold it would have made a glacier seem warm, he greeted his son for the first time that day, choosing and delivering his words with the same meticulous care a surgeon would use to select a scalpel.

"Welcome home, _Katsuya_." He drawled slowly, his next words making the blond's heart drop. "Now…be a good boy and _lock the door_."

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Well, here we have **Chapter Five**! To all my readers – I hope that you are enjoying this fan-fiction as much as I am enjoying writing it! Chapter Six will be up soon! Ja Ne!


	7. Ch 06 Fear Factor

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, much to my ever-lasting regret; however, if Kazuki Takahashi gets distracted and I 'borrow' Jounouchi and the others while he's not looking…

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**Chapter Six "Fear Factor"**

Suichi sighed, finding himself _very_ glad to be home. Toeing off his street shoes and slipping into the waiting pair of oft-worn and ragged blue terrycloth house scuffs that he always kept handy by the door, he noted again, filing it somewhere in the back of his brain, that he _really_ needed to get a new pair. Walking into the kitchenette like a man who was three times his age, throwing his red windbreaker across the back of the second-handed tan leather sofa as he went, he debated on whether or not to make a pot of coffee, and then rethinking his decision, crossed over to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer instead. He didn't drink much, nor often, and _never_ on a school night, but it was Friday, and he had spent nearly three hours involved in a very lengthy, and highly disturbing, conversation that had left him with a headache and a case of heartburn that would have rivaled an erupting volcano in its ferocity. He doubted the beer was going to help with that, but then again, he doubted it could make it much _worse_, either.

After making his way back into the living area of his small, two-room bachelor apartment, Suichi nearly collapsed from exhaustion into his sofa's matching recliner. Picking up the remote from the side-table, he absentmindedly flicked on the television, leaving it on 'mute', his thoughts still consumed by the troublesome and unsettling information disclosed by his new acquaintance earlier that evening.

_As Suichi had finished telling the lean, black-haired detective the gist of his telephone conversation with Katsuya Jounouchi's father, he had watched as the other man's deep frown had turned into a undisguised scowl, his face reflecting the same mixture of disbelief and disgust Suichi's had right after he had hung up the phone the night before. That look had almost immediately been replaced by one of abject resignation._

"_I was afraid of that – unfortunately, what you've just told me fits with the information I've gotten from my other 'sources'."_

"_Care to fill me in?" Suichi had asked, wondering briefly who these other 'sources' could be; and then he had suddenly straightened in his chair, his eyes going wide, the depth of his stupidity slapping him squarely in the face. **Private** detective. That meant that someone had **paid** the young man who was sitting across from him to look into whatever was going on – so not only was Jounouchi being watched by unknown 'entities'…AND Tanaka… there was someone else involved that the handsome young sleuth had 'conveniently' forgotten to bring up – his **Employer**. Suichi had seen Tanaka's eyebrows rise at the look that he had given him, the knowledge flashing through the older man's blue-gray eyes that the teacher had had an epiphany of some sort – even so, he had remained quiet, awaiting the asking of the question he knew was coming, obviously steeling himself for whatever reaction his answer was bound to evoke._

"_Just **whom** are you working for, anyway?" Suichi's voice had been edged with sudden suspicion, and the detective's reply had alleviated none of it._

"_I'm afraid __**that**__ information is confidential."_

Suichi took a swig of his beer; grimacing at the taste, he set the sweating can down on the cork-lined, plastic coaster he kept on the small, glass-topped, antique-brass side-table and closed his eyes. Tilting his head to rest it against the back of the recliner, he let the remainder of the evening's earlier events replay in his mind, going over and over the details trying to find something he might have missed.

_Tanaka's voice had held a soft note of regret, an apologetic look plastered on his face as he was forced to deny Suichi the information he was so adamantly seeking. He had liked the young teacher from the moment that they had first met, and the thought had crossed his mind more than once since then that, at the very least, he would come away from this job with a newfound friend. Now, he was not so sure. He had seen longer and stronger friendships ruined over much less, and even though the idea of losing the budding comradeship he had felt beginning with the younger man disturbed him greatly, he was first-and-foremost a professional; in his line of work there were certain boundaries one did not **ever** cross; divulging something that could possibly cause the loss of a client's trust being the first and most sacred boundary of all._

_Knowing that the other man was studying him, Suichi had kept his face as expressionless as possible and had tried to approach the problem from the detective's point of view, telling himself that the hurt and disappointment he was feeling was illogical under the circumstances; after all, they had only just met, and to put it in perspective, even if they had **both** been detectives, Suichi doubted very much that Tanaka would have spoken about his employer in anything more than generalities. If the shoe had been on the other foot, and Tanaka had asked HIM that question, Suichi knew that his answer would have been almost identical, word-for-word, to the one the now silent detective had given. That realization had helped ease his bruised ego and he had found himself smirking over the table at the somewhat surprised detective. "Confidential, huh? Okay, then. WITHOUT naming names, what **can** you tell me?"_

_A grin had slowly spread across the taller man's face, his eyes reflecting the genuine relief he felt as he came to the quick understanding that he and the young teacher had just passed the first hurdle in their friendship – that of knowing where the 'friendship' ended and the 'job' began, the one really having nothing to do with the other. As long as they could keep THAT straight, everything would be fine. "I can tell you that their only concern is for the boy's safety – they have no 'hidden' agendas, if that's what's worrying you."_

_Suichi's eyebrows had risen at __**that**__ comment, noting immediately the detective's choice of words. "THEY - as in, 'more than one'? Should I take that at face-value or are we talking something akin to __the use of the Royal 'WE' here?" He had watched, his eyes narrowing, as the now evilly-grinning detective, with practiced ease, had used his chopsticks to pop a deep fried pork dumpling into his mouth, effectively preventing himself from answering the gym teacher's query. Suichi had never thought of himself as the 'brightest crayon in the box', but then it hardly took a genius to figure out from the other man's calculated actions that he wasn't going to be getting anything more out of him on the subject anytime soon. So, he decided to attack from a different front. "All right – what can YOU_ _tell ME about Katsuya Jounouchi's father?" The other man's grin had quickly faded, his jaw tightening, as his face took on a seriousness the likes of which Suichi had not seen before on the good-natured young man._

"_What can I tell you about his father?" Tanaka had echoed, his steel-gray eyes darkening until they almost resembled the color of thunderclouds on a stormy day. "I can tell you that if you look up the word 'bastard' in the dictionary, you'll find his picture right next to definition number one."_

瀬戸城が好き

Jounouchi tilted his head, resting his right cheek against the cold and damp glass of the passenger-side window as he stared sullenly out into the semi-darkness. He had been sitting in the car on the side of a deserted dirt road in the middle of nowhere for over an hour, while his father stood, calmly leaning against the right front fender, casually glancing at his watch ever so often to check the time. The boy had no idea where they were or what was going on; the only thing that he _had_ been able to figure out was that his father was waiting for something – or rather, _someone_ – to show up, and watching as his father's agitation now began to grow with each passing minute, he made a guess that whoever that 'someone' was just _might_ be running late.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he saw his father straighten up, staring off into the distance as something drew his attention. Turning his head in the same direction, honey-brown eyes quickly spotted the two twin-beams of the other car's headlights as it sped towards them, barely slowing down in time to stop a few feet from where they had parked; apparently, the area they were in had not been deluged by the earlier storms, for this action stirred up a dust cloud that left his father choking out a string of obscenities that even Jounouchi had never heard before.

As the dust settled and the air cleared, Jou could just make out, by the glow coming from the full moon that hung in the now clear night sky, the figure of a man as he exited the other car from the driver's side; the light being too dim to distinguish details, he decided to try focusing on what was being said, hoping to overhear something that could give him a clue as to what was going on, and more importantly, how HE fit into the equation. A few seconds later, however, the boy's heart dropped in disappointment; it seemed that no sooner had the two men greeted one another than they were both turning and climbing back into their cars, his father following, grim-faced and silent, as the other led them ever-deeper into the thickening, bramble-covered countryside along the dirt road that was quickly becoming nothing more than a well-worn trail. The combination of his father's stony silence, the deepening darkness and the ever-roughing ride as they made their trek through unfamiliar territory while being led by their mysterious 'guide', all conspired to tie the now terrified teen's stomach into knots, and for the first time in his life, he was glad that his father had, as a punishment for his being late, withheld that evening's dinner. As upset and as frightened as he was, he had no doubt whatsoever that he would have already courted his father's further anger by throwing up whatever it was he might have eaten.

Torn between wanting to know, and dreading the answer to the question of their eventual destination, the blond teen scrunched down into the car seat as far as he could go, wanting nothing more at the moment than to somehow divert attention away from his very existence, futilely wishing that he could dissipate like the proverbial puff-of-smoke, or at the very least, wake up from the nightmare he currently found himself trapped in. Closing his eyes to block out his surroundings, the last thing that flashed through his mind before the car came to a sudden halt, was the unbidden thought that, if he were for some unknown reason to disappear, would anyone notice – and if they _did_, would it make any difference?

瀬戸城が好き

Opening heavy-lidded green eyes, Suichi glanced over to the clock hanging on the far wall, noting that it was ONLY ten o'clock – on a _Friday_ night, no less – and wondered _when _he had gotten old. It had not been so long ago that staying up all night _and_ going to school the next day would have meant nothing to him – now even the _thought_ of it made him tired. "An old man at twenty-five…" he chuckled humorlessly to himself, "…it doesn't bode well for my future." He frowned as his wording made an unintentional connection through his subconscious to the lingering fear that he carried regarding the unknown future facing a particular student of his – made even more uncertain, to his way of thinking, by what he had learned about the boy's 'so-called' father.

He had not given him the, using his own words, 'boring' details, but the equally-concerned detective had provided him with enough background information about the man for Suichi to cement with fact his previously uninformed opinion that Hirotaka Jounouchi was a person NOT to be messed with – a man to whom control was everything and whose ability to manipulate and browbeat those around him into submission seemed to be second-to-none. According to Tanaka, although he was well known to law enforcement, and had been arrested numerous times, he had never been officially charged with _anything_. That fact alone gave the man a special type of respect and power in the eyes of some of the more questionable persons lurking in the shadows of Domino City. Because of this, his 'connections' ran strong and deep into the underbelly of the metropolis, and Suichi found himself wondering how a boy who had not yet even had the chance to graduate high school would be able to find the strength and endurance needed to fight against a force such as that – and if he _did_ manage it, would he be able to survive the process?

Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to do anything more that evening, the bone-weary teacher decided to call it a day. Leaving his barely-touched beer where it sat, he arose from his chair and headed towards his bedroom, deciding a shower could wait until the morning, and hoping, when he was _finally_ able to get to sleep, that he wouldn't be haunted by the image of a blond-haired 'innocent' with frightened honey-brown eyes running frantically through his dreams.

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**Chapter Six** had been duly posted for your perusal – I hope that it was worth the wait! To all my readers – I'm happy that you think it worth your time and my effort to continue on with my little story, and I hope future chapters continue to meet with your expectations. Arigato and Ja Ne!


	8. Ch 07 The First Move

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, the Empire State building, London Bridge or any oceanfront property in Arizona. I do, however, own the original characters of Suichi Okawa, Tadashi Tanaka and 'Bolts', otherwise known as Hatsuto Watanabe; and of course, this story.

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**Chapter Seven "The First Move"**

Jounouchi slowly opened his eyes, unsure whether or not he truly wanted to see what lay before him – and was immediately overcome with relief. He couldn't really describe what it was that he had been expecting, but it was nothing like what he was actually seeing, and he felt himself calm a bit as he realized that their destination was nothing more than a 'countrified' version of a big city automotive salvage yard. With a ramshackle shed in the middle of a small clearing, surrounded by towers of barely distinguishable metal 'skeletons', lit by one, lone flickering floodlight, he had to admit it was a little spooky – the same way a neighborhood 'haunted house' was spooky on Halloween – but there was nothing about its appearance that would evoke terror from anyone but the smallest child.

"Stay in the car." It was the first time his father had spoken to him since they had left home, and Jou jumped at the unexpected words, flushing with embarrassment as Hirotaka chuckled darkly. "What's the matter, _Katsuya_?" He smirked, as the teen remained silent. "Don't worry. You have much _bigger_ things to fear than the 'boogeyman'." His smirk grew as the blond's head snapped around, his eyes wide, the color draining from his face.

"W-what do ya mean by dat?" He asked in a shaky whisper, the apprehension he had been feeling earlier coming back in full force at his father's cryptic words.

Hirotaka smiled, but his eyes held no warmth as he answered. "All in good time, Katsuya; all in good time. Now, be a good little boy and do as you're told." With that said, the older man got out, the slamming of the car door sounding impossibly loud in the quiet, country night.

Jounouchi watched as his father and their guide disappeared into the shed, pushing back the wave of nausea that threatened to overtake him. He knew from years of experience that his father was a cruel man; a man who received just as much satisfaction from playing sick and twisted mind games as he did from the physical punishments he dealt out. He also knew that, if the day ever came where he no longer held any amusement value for the elder Jounouchi, his father would have no second thoughts whatsoever about getting rid of him; whether that would mean just physically removing him from his presence, or something much worse, he didn't know, and he was in no hurry to find out.

Sad amber eyes stared back at him from his reflection in the car window. He had always known that his father had never felt any affection for him; he had told the boy more than once the circumstances surrounding his conception, making it a point to stress the fact that his entire existence was nothing more than pure chance – an _accident of nature_, was his favorite phrasing – but knowing the truth didn't ease the ache in Jou's heart, or take away the feeling of loss he felt every time he was reminded that his was _not_ the typical 'happy family', and that HE held no more value in his father's eyes than as a way to relieve his anger or the stress of a boring day.

Wrapping his arms around himself, trying to seek some form of comfort, he let his mind drift, wondering what his friends were doing and if they and Shizuka were all right. Jou hadn't forgotten his father's earlier threats against his sister, and he knew that he would also draw his friends into his malicious games without any hesitation if it meant getting what he wanted. The thought terrified the teen; his mother, at least, knew how his father was and could provide some protection for Shizuka. His friends, however, were a different story. They had never met the man – _not_ even Honda, who had been his best friend since the third grade – and Jou had rarely spoken about him except in the briefest of contexts; so, as far as his friends were concerned, they knew he _existed_, and that was about all. When they had ever questioned the peculiarity of that fact, it had seldom been to Jou's face; like most victims of abuse, Jou had become very adept over the years at the art of 'misdirection', so on those rare instances when it HAD occurred, he had, like some 'master magician', been able to subtly change the subject, and the matter was soon forgotten. Now, for his friends' sake, he was beginning to wish he had not learned that lesson so well. Even _knowing_, he doubted very seriously that they would have any better luck dealing with his father than he had had – the only person who he thought _might_ be able to best his father at his own games not being counted among them. After all, he could hardly count _Seto Kaiba_ as one of his friends, no matter how badly he may have wanted to. It was a doubly painful thought.

He had always admired the blue-eyed teen for his ability to take care of his brother and to overcome the powerful influences of a rich, extremely cruel and abusive adoptive father; the knowledge that his admiration was returned by the young CEO with the opposite but equal amount of undisguised loathing made his father's pronouncements seem all the more true, and all the more hurtful. He had even been wondering lately exactly where he stood in his friends eyes – did they _really_ like him or, as with his father, was he nothing more to them than an 'amusement'; something to use to spice-up a boring day at school or 'filler' entertainment for when they had nothing better to do? The thought that Yuugi might feel that way about him – that he might be nothing more than a tolerated nuisance to the small, 'King of Games' – as well as to his other friends, left him feeling a mixture of emotions that ranged from utter devastation to extreme guilt for even daring to _think_ something so awful of them; but he couldn't shake the uncertainty his father had planted in his heart and mind. The uncertainty that one particular sharp-tongued, icy-eyed teen had helped to nurture. That uncertainty, along with the threats against his sister, and the gnawing fear that his father would involve others that he cared about in the demented 'chess game' he seemed to enjoy playing on a daily basis, had led the honey-eyed blond to reluctantly pull away from his friends just when he needed them the most.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Jou was snapped out of his deep thoughts by his body's urgent signal to his brain that it needed to heed the call-of-nature. They had made no stops in between Domino City and their current location – except for the period where they had been waiting for his father's 'acquaintance' – so, it was long overdue. Unlike many who wouldn't have given it a second thought, at the moment the idea of going in-the-wilds made the young boy squeamish – he had done it during 'Duelist Kingdom' out of necessity, but then he had been amongst friends who, because of their shared circumstances, were doing the same thing. Now, it was totally different. The thought of being _that_ vulnerable, in the middle of the night, in unfamiliar surroundings, with no one to watch his back was unnerving enough for him to risk his father's ire. Leaving the car and crossing the short distance to the door of the dilapidated shed, he stood a moment to take a deep breath, and then swallowing nervously, he raised a shaky and white-knuckled hand and forced himself to rap lightly on the paint-chipped wooden door, nearly jumping out of his skin when it was opened almost before the sound could reach his ears. Frozen with shock, it took him a split-second to realize that it wasn't his father that had answered the door but their 'guide', and for the first time, Jou was able to get a good look at the man who was now clearly visible in the light coming from both inside and outside the shed.

"What do you want, boy?" Glittering black orbs pinned him in place with a look that made his blood run cold; they reminded him of two chips of polished onyx – NO, better yet, the eyes of a bird of prey who had just sighted its next meal – and Jou, unable to tear his gaze away, felt his breathing speed up to match his racing heart. As the man stood, waiting impatiently for an answer, Jou stared as if hypnotized, struggling to find his voice, the man's visage burning itself into his brain.

Tall and lean, with sharp, angular features, and short dark hair streaked with gray, Jou could only guess at the man's age – somewhere in his early forties – but what held him spellbound with the aura of power and intelligence that the man gave off. He had only experienced something similar in the presence of two other people – one, being Yami, and the other being Seto Kaiba – but this man's aura reminded him more of a bottomless pit; devoid of any light or warmth, it felt extremely dangerous and Jou had the horrible thought flash through his mind that, just like falling into that murky void, once you fell into _this_ darkness, there would be _no_ coming back.

It was his father's irritated voice coming from another room in the small shed asking what was taking so long that broke the spell the teen seemed to be under, but he still found it impossible to utter more than a one word explanation. "Bathroom." With a frown and a quick flick of the wrist, the man pointed his thumb hitchhiker-fashion, barely moving out of the way in time as the blond brushed past, mumbling a hurried apology. Even as he heard the shed door shut, Jou could still feel the man's eyes targeting him with pinpoint accuracy. Putting the bathroom door between them, the teenager took a steadying breath as the connection was broken, and redirected his attention to the reason he had risked coming there for in the first place, grimacing a little at the 'accommodations' as he turned around. Even so, he had to admit that they were better than the outside 'facilities', so he reasoned that he really had nothing to complain about and proceeded to take care of business.

Bored, Hirotaka had just lit a cigarette as his friend returned to the room that they had earlier dubbed, with mock-amusement, the 'country outhouse with a view'. Throwing him a beer from the cooler he had brought, the older man sat down across from him at the rickety wooden table; stealing a cigarette from the open pack lying there, he caught the lighter Jou's father threw to him with a self-satisfied smirk. With a glean of anticipation in his eyes, Hirotaka leaned back in his just-as-rickety wooden folding chair, and pointed silently towards the back of the shed. The other man lit his cigarette, then nodded and mouthed the word "John", at which a cold smile spread across the elder Jounouchi's face. Tapping the crystal of his watch with his index finger, he inclined his head in Jou's direction, sending his dark-haired accomplice the unspoken message that the moment that they had been waiting for had finally arrived – it was time to set their plan into motion.

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Well, there you have **Chapter Seven**. I wonder what up…Hmm? Next chapter should 'enlighten' you at to what's in Jou's father's sneaky little mind! Until then, take care and thanks for reading! Ja Ne!


	9. Ch 08 An Unwitting Pawn

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh; never have, never will, not even in my wildest dreams – and boy, can they get WILD! I remember this one time…uh, on second thought, never mind! This website doesn't _allow_ that rating!

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**Chapter Eight "An Unwitting Pawn"**

Jou washed his hands in the sink of the tiny bathroom more as a gesture than anything else; he sincerely doubted that the cold, rust-filled water coming out of the faucet would be considered anywhere _near_ hygienic, and since there was no soap, it was more or less an act of futility anyway. The only saving grace was the meager roll of slightly-yellowed 'white' paper towels sitting on top of the toilet – Jou eyed them cautiously, wondering just how old they were, but finally decided that they were better than wiping his now rusty hands on his clothes and tore off a couple of sheets, coughing and sneezing as the act sent a cloud of dust into the air. Wiping his hands just enough to remove the reddish-brown deposits left by his attempted 'cleansing', he looked around for a trash can, and finding none, stuffed the used wads of paper into his pants pocket with a resigned sigh. He had delayed the inevitable as long as possible – it was now time to face-the-music and find out just what his punishment was to be for disobeying his father's order to remain in the car. He knew it would not matter _why_ he had left – it never did.

Hirotaka heard the squeaking of the bathroom door as it opened – winking one dark amber eye at his evilly-smirking companion, he started their little act with the previously agreed upon 'line', making sure his voice was loud enough for the carefully chosen words to be overheard; after all, that was the whole point of this evening's exercise – it was time Katsuya learned who the true 'Master' was, and that his only value in life came in how well he served that 'Master', even if he was unaware he was doing so; at least for the time being. As he asked the prearranged question, the elder Jounouchi took a sadistic delight in the fact that, when this was all over and the teen's usefulness was at an end, he would be the one to see the boy's face as he realized the bitter truth. "So, just how _smart_ is this _Seto Kaiba_, anyway?"

As soon as the words reached his ears, Jou froze, the sound of his hammering heart nearly deafening as his disbelieving mind registered the name. He had been trying to be as quiet as humanly possible, hoping that his father might be distracted enough to allow him the opportunity to sneak back to the car without being noticed. He was well aware that, just as many times before, it would only be buying him a short reprieve from his father's reprisal, but he had come to consider even a tiny delay to be a fortunate occurrence. Now, however, he stood in the hallway just outside the door leading to the shed's main room, unable to move, his feet seemingly rooted into place. His attention zeroing in on the twin male voices, he felt his chest tighten as he listened, a sense of déjà vu hitting him as one of his many nightmares literally seemed to be springing to life from inside the next room.

On the opposite side of the door, grinning like some kind of a mad man, Hirotaka gave a 'thumbs up' sign with another wink, barely able to contain his mirth as his friend took his cue to continue their carefully structured little 'drama'. "Seto Kaiba is a certified genius…" the dark-haired man began smoothly, "…and one of the world's leading computer experts, as well as being one of the youngest CEOs of a multi-billion dollar international corporation. However…" he paused to return the wink he had just been given, and then continued as Jou's father shook with silent laughter, "…he is _only_ seventeen, and even though Gozaboro Kaiba was successful in making him into a coldhearted, arrogant, self-absorbed, ironfisted, unforgiving _tyrant_ of the business world, I know from _personal_ experience that on a private level, he wasn't quite as successful – our young chairman has one very glaring, _major_ weakness."

Rolling his eyes in an exaggerated way, a bored look pasted on his face, Hirotaka fed the next well-rehearsed question to his partner, knowing his son was listening carefully to every word being said as he stood on the other side of the door. "And _that_ weakness would be what?"

"That's easy." Slipping another cigarette from the near-empty pack, the taller man used the one he was smoking to light it before snuffing the old one out in the brass ashtray on the table. Taking a deep drag, he exhaled the smoke through thin lips that were set with a cold smile, knowing that the blond man sitting across from him would give just about _anything_ at that moment to be able to see the look on the boy's face. That was something that they both had in common – they both _loved_ to toy with other people's emotions. "It's the one thing that means more to him than his company, his reputation, his _pride_, and probably even his _life_. The one thing he would fight to keep and pay any amount to keep safe. The one thing that _truly_ belongs only to him – the _one_ thing that Gozaboro Kaiba _didn't_ give him…" he stopped, pausing just long enough to make sure the 'captive audience' standing in the hall had sufficient time for his words to sink in, and then as Hirotaka sat looking at him with a demon-like smile that nearly split his face in two, he finished by solving his own 'riddle', his voice carrying the answer easily to the stunned boy quaking on the opposite side of the wall. "That _thing_, of course, would be his little brother, MOKUBA."

Both men heard the audible gasp that filtered through the closed door, which was immediately followed by an intense silence. Putting his finger to his lips in warning and rising from his chair, Jou's father swiftly crossed the short distance from where he had been sitting to the entrance-way of the room; grabbing and twisting the doorknob, he threw the door open, letting it hit the wall with a loud BANG, watching with barely concealed satisfaction as the teenaged boy, with a startled yelp, plastered himself against the far wall in wide-eyed terror. Reaching him in two strides, the elder Jounouchi fisted his right hand in his son's shirt, using it to physically lift him off the floor, leaving his feet dangling as he used his other arm, elbow-fashion, to imprison his body in between his and the smoke-stained, paint-peeling wall. Dropping the most ominous 'cold, dark and dangerous' expression he could muster into place, he fixed his offspring with a frigid stare, inwardly acknowledging his disappointment at the fact that the boy had already used the restroom, having no doubts whatsoever that if he hadn't, he would now be facing him with not only the look of a deer-caught-in-headlights but wet jeans, as well. He found the idea highly entertaining, but his 'amusement' would have to wait – after all, he had a part to play in this little true-life drama just as his companion did – so, staying in character, he tightened his grip on the teenager's shirt, pressing closer until they were almost nose-to-nose. Looking him straight in the eye, jaw clenched, he ground out his question, his words coming out almost in a feral snarl. "What the HELL are _you_ doing here?"

"N-nothing…" Jou stammered out as best he could, his mouth suddenly feeling as if it were full of cotton as his father's grip partially cut off his breathing; wincing as the elder Jounouchi's elbow dug painfully into his ribs, he tried again. "I was…just…using the…john."

"_Really_? Is that so?"

"Yes…sir."

His eyes narrowing, the older Jounouchi pretended to study his son's face as if looking for any signs of deception, inwardly laughing at the boy who he _knew_ had heard every word that was said and was lying through his teeth. Finally, seemingly convinced that Jounouchi was telling the 'truth', he stepped back, letting go of the boy's shirt at the same time, and watched as he fell, ending up in a sprawl on the filthy, trash-littered floor. "Get back to the car, and this time, _stay there_." Nodding frantically, the wide-eyed teen flipped to his knees, then scrambled to his feet, the clothes he had earlier tried so hard to keep clean now a grimy, discolored mess. As his son fled for the door, Hirotaka couldn't resist throwing a parting shot; smirking as Jou, without turning around, hesitated for the briefest of seconds, his words causing exactly the reaction he was looking for. "We'll discuss your 'punishment' when we get home, _Katsuya_. You know that I don't tolerate _disobedience_."

As the front door clicked shut behind the escaping youth, Hirotaka turned around to find the other occupant of the shed leaning against the jamb of the open doorway, one dark eyebrow rising as he watched his friend with some amusement. "Tell me, do you _really_ think this is going to work?"

The blond let out a sharp laugh. "NO doubt about it. Katsuya might have gotten his looks from me…" he wrinkled his nose in disgust as if smelling something rotten, "…but he got his bleeding-heart from his mother. Seto Kaiba may _hate_ him and he admittedly _dislikes_ Kaiba, but the brother's a different story – Katsuya won't let something happen to 'little' Mokuba. He's like that." He grinned, a confident look in his eyes. "He has a soft spot for SIBLINGS."

The other man snorted. "_Whatever_. Just so long as he gets us to the kid."

Hirotaka's grin only widened. "You worry too much, 'Bolts'. Believe me, the kid is as good as ours - after all, if you can't trust your _friends_, who CAN you trust? – And I know for a fact, Mokuba considers Katsuya a friend, even if his brother doesn't."

瀬戸城が好き

Jou sat in the cold, silent car, almost numb with shock, everything he had heard whirling around-and-around in his brain until he actually felt _physically_ dizzy from the motion; but no matter how he tried to straighten out the jumble in his mind, four things always came jumping out at him from the chaos, the first being the confirmation of a 'truth' that he had always known deep-down, but had been reluctant to admit to himself – his father was _exactly_ what he had always suspected, and was as _dangerous_ as he had always feared. The second was the thought that he had always liked the younger Kaiba and had accepted the extremely bright, somewhat hyper mop-top as a friend at their very first meeting; considering that, he knew he had no choice but to do whatever he could to protect him from danger no matter what the source, or the COST. On the heels of that thought came the undeniable fact that, even though it seemed that he and Seto would never manage to be anything other than bitter rivals, as much as Jou had believed that Seto had hated him before, the intensity of that hatred would be immeasurable if he sat back and did nothing while his father followed through with whatever plans he had, and something really _did_ happen to the blue-eyed teen's treasured little brother. Both thoughts made him feel equally as queasy.

The fourth, and final thing was the inescapable knowledge that no matter what he did or didn't do, the only sure loser in this cruel 'cat and mouse game' would be a sixteen year-old honey-eyed blond named Katsuya Jounouchi.

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And here we have **Chapter Eight**! To **everyone**: hope you enjoyed this chapter, review if you feel so inclined, and thanks for reading! Ja Ne!


	10. Ch 09 An Unlikely Knight

**Disclaimer:** I have always believed Lawyers to be intelligent people – don't you think that they get it by now? I do **not** own Yu-Gi-Oh!

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**Chapter Nine "An Unlikely Knight"**

Seto Kaiba sat at his desk in his darkened office, the only source of illumination being the light coming from the computer screen before him. It was well after midnight, which for the young genius was not an unusual thing; he often worked into the wee hours of the morning, surviving on little or no rest for weeks at a time, until finally exhausted, his body would force him into an almost death-like slumber. It was not that he _liked_ being that way; he would have much preferred having the ability to enjoy a full night's sleep like the majority of Domino City's population. No, this was a keepsake from his adoptive father, Gozaboro Kaiba – a left-over trait from the grueling days of forced study and 'surprise' tests in the middle of the night. A result of the punishments taken by a ten year-old boy for falling asleep before permission had been given to do so, and a habit that his little brother was still trying to help him to break, with little success.

However, this night the seventeen year-old heir to the Kaiba 'Empire' was _not_ working – he was _not_ going over the latest quarterly report _or_ checking on how Kaiba Corporation stock had done earlier that day on the Exchange, _nor _was he tinkering with the latest update to his 'Duel Disk' system. He was sitting, elbows on the desk, hands against his chin, fingers steepled almost as if in prayer, staring with unseeing eyes at the screen-saver which had now taken over the computer's monitor, the three 'Blue Eyes White Dragons' at preset intervals merging to form the 'Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon', then defusing back into their separate selves, only to repeat the process a few seconds later. But what was on the young CEO's mind at the moment was _not_ his prized dragons, nor his company. It wasn't his cherished little brother or his long-standing, grudgingly respected nemesis, Yuugi Mutou. NO, what was on the brunet's constantly over-active mind was a certain obnoxious, irritating, loud-mouthed, over-confident, 'clueless' honey-eyed blond whom he had dismissed long ago as irrelevant and a waste of his time on the dueling field _and_ off – _that_ was the problem. Or more precisely, the problem lay in the fact that _he_ had been having serious doubts lately about whether any of the things that he had believed earlier concerning the younger teen were true to begin with, or were a well-rehearsed act – a way of covering up the fact that he was the total OPPOSITE of everything he projected – just as Seto had used his carefully constructed persona as the 'ice prince' to cover up his own insecurities and the evidence of a storm-filled soul and a badly wounded heart.

His suspicions had started about two months prior, when he had unintentionally overheard the 'mutt' and his pointy-haired friend Honda's conversation while he was depositing the last of his barely-used textbooks back into his locker after the last class of the day. Apparently, his friend was questioning the origin of the latest set of bumps and bruises Jounouchi was sporting, wanting to know which gang member the blond had managed to, in the mahogany-haired teen's own words, "piss off this time". Seto remembered he had been thinking what an idiot the amber-eyed youth was, when the boy's response had caught his attention, the name mentioned being familiar to him since the boy's father happened to be an employee that worked in one of the main labs at Kaiba Corporation Headquarters, and was well known for having to bail his son out of trouble on more than one occasion. That was _not_ what had aroused his suspicions, however. It was what the teen had said next as he expounded on the 'what' and 'when' of the event that left him frozen in place and gaping like a fish-out-of-water, the realization hitting him that the 'mutt' was doing something that he'd believed him incapable of – he was _lying_ to a friend. The brunet _knew_ it was a lie – because at the time the amber-eyed youth specified that he and the other boy were fighting, the boy and his father were actually in _his_ office at Kaiba Corporation, the father pleading for his job after his son, who shouldn't have even been on the premises in the first place, had been caught trying to steal money from another employee's purse. The father had kept his job with a severe reprimand – the boy had been escorted off the company's property with a stiff warning never to set foot there again. Seto didn't think it likely – the teen had been extremely terrified of the icy-eyed CEO's well-documented wrath and the consequences that _could_ be meted out for his actions; he had left the presence of the security guards, who had unceremoniously dumped him on the sidewalk on the other side of the street from the building, bowing and scraping and promising NEVER to do anything like that again. Even under the current circumstances, the memory almost made him smile. Being 'scared straight' could be a powerful thing.

After he had left school that day, he had spent the remainder of the afternoon through the early evening with one part of his brain totally occupied by thoughts of the blond and mulling over the implications of what he had heard, while the other part carried on with the task of walking his body through the rest of his daily routine. "Multitasking' was something that he did as easily as breathing; no one really noticed anything out of the ordinary – that is, until he returned home. He hadn't been in the house more than fifteen minutes before Mokuba had started asking what was wrong.

It was at times like these that Seto wished that his little brother didn't know him _quite_ so well; it made it almost impossible to keep anything from him – good _or_ bad – and had put them at logger-heads more than once when he had done something of which the raven-haired boy did not approve. Contrary to popular belief, Mokuba did _not_ think that his brother could do 'no wrong' – the fact was, he had confronted him on many occasions regarding things that he had done or was planning to do – he just didn't do it in public. And one of their longest-running discussions, and the one that usually resulted in starting their most-heated arguments, revolved around the intrinsic value, or _lack_ thereof, of a certain blond-haired, brown-eyed 'canine' named Katsuya Jounouchi and his shabby treatment by, in Mokuba's words, his stubborn "ass of a brother".

The event that he had witnessed earlier in the day had the teen CEO wondering at the time, though he wouldn't have admitted it if asked, if the younger Kaiba hadn't been right all along – he had always tried, without success, to convince his older sibling that there was more to the seemingly carefree, streetwise youth than one saw on the surface. How his brother was able to 'see' things about people, while he seemed to turn a blind eye, made him wonder sometimes what he was lacking as a human being, and whether or not he would ever _truly_ recover that part of himself that Gozaboro Kaiba had managed to rip away.

As he and Mokuba sat having a late dinner at a small dining table set up in one corner of the mansion's ridiculously over-sized kitchen, Seto had debated on how to answer his question. Still unsure if there _was _really anything going on, he had found himself suddenly filled with a strange premonition that this was something that he shouldn't dismiss as he had most of the things that concerned the 'mutt' and his ever-so irritating friends, and for one of the few times in his life that the tall brunet could remember, he made a spur-of-the-moment decision _not_ to question himself any further and just to go with the feeling; right or wrong, he would deal with the consequences later.

Seto had watched the 'mutt' and his friends carefully over the next month, and was shocked at what he saw. He could understand how _he_ had not seen the subtle signs that something was definitely amiss in the blond teen's world – after all, he usually made it a point to try and ignore the 'whelp' unless it was to throw a taunt or an insult and he only resorted to THAT when he found it necessary to break the suffocating monotony of the school day – what he couldn't believe was that those around the caramel-eyed boy who continuously professed themselves to be his 'friends' had not noticed the many flaws in their classmate's carefully woven alibis. They _weren't_ blind, and even though his opinion of most of them, Yuugi Mutou aside, usually ranged from 'Amoeba' to 'Cro-Magnon', in reality he _knew_ that they weren't _stupid_, either. So, that left the obvious – whatever they were seeing, they were IGNORING. Whether it was for their own comfort or for the blond's, or a combination of the two, he wasn't sure, but he knew from experience that ignoring a problem did _not_ make it go away. If anything, pretending a problem didn't exist only led to bigger, more complicated problems somewhere down-the-road that were much more difficult and much more painful to solve. This was a 'life-lesson' that he had been forced to learn at a disturbingly young age – one of the minute number of things, all of which could be counted with the fingers of one hand, that he and Gozaboro had _ever_ agreed upon – and something that was constantly being reinforced by his daily dealings in the business world.

And that's when it had happened yet, _again_ – another premonition and another spur-of-the-moment decision. He had found it infuriating; after all, that was _not_ how he normally ran his life, and certainly not how he decided to deal with any major issues that cropped up along the way – but just as before, he had found himself turning a deaf ear to the logical side of his brain that was calling him an 'idiot' and sneering at his sudden gullibility, and following the side that seemed to be whispering to him that things were far worse than they appeared, and that the 'clock was ticking'. So, later that evening, after banishing the still disapproving half to whatever mental prison his psyche could envision, he had picked up his office phone, dialed a number and let the 'other foot' join the first in whatever quagmire he was getting himself into.

Now, one month later, that very same phone rang in his eerily silent office, breaking Seto's intense concentration and nearly sending him flying out of his chair. Growling under his breath, he reached over and tore the handset away from the base – at this late hour the only other people in the building, besides himself, were usually the security guards and maintenance crews, and NO ONE dared to _ever_ disturb him unless it was an emergency – so, putting the receiver to his ear, and anticipating the worst, he found himself almost snarling out his 'routine' greeting. "This is Kaiba."

There was silence for a split-second, then a nervous voice on the other end hesitantly answered. "S-sorry for the interruption, sir. This is Takaeda in the Lobby. There's a gentleman at the front desk who says it's urgent that he speak with you, and demanded that I let you know that he was here."

"What's his name?" Seto's frown deepened as he listened to the guard's reply. "It's all right – let him up…" he snapped, then added as an afterthought, "…and make sure that we are not 'interrupted', or you'll find yourself hunting for another job, is _that_ understood?"

"Y-yes, sir."

Slamming down the phone in irritation, the icy-eyed CEO reclaimed his seat, the beginnings of a migraine already starting to make its presence known. Pouring himself a glass of water from the thermal carafe that sat on a sleek, silver tray on the wooden filing cabinet behind him, he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out the bottle of pills his doctor had prescribed, wrinkling his nose in disgust. He hated admitting weaknesses of any kind, not because he was, contrary to most people's belief, arrogant enough to think that he was better than everyone else, the exception to that idea being anything having to do with computers and 'Duel Monsters', but because he had found that once someone learned that you _had _a weakness, they had a tendency to use it against you. The paradox was, his very reluctance to admit having a weakness _was_ a weakness in itself – it meant that he was never able to let his guard down – and _that_ was EXHAUSTING. Downing two of the caplets with half the glass of water, and returning the pill bottle to whence it came, he waited for the expected knock at his door, an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach that he doubted had anything to do with the oncoming headache. Kaiba didn't have long to wait, as a few seconds later there was a light rapping on the door. "Come." He commanded tersely as the sound seemed to echo endlessly through his head, making him wince in discomfort.

The door opened slowly; the soft lighting from the empty hallway that was outlining the figure of the rather tall male wasn't strong enough for the teen entrepreneur to distinguish facial features, but then it really wasn't necessary seeing as he already knew who it was, and due to the migraine that was threatening to wreak further havoc on his already painfully throbbing head, he wasn't about to increase the brightness in the room.

"Do you _always_ sit in the dark?" The voice asked smoothly, with just a hint of amusement, as its figure remained unmoving in the doorway.

"Migraine…" the young CEO answered in way of explanation, never one to mince words, "…and I consider _that_ as being confidential information too, by the way."

"Understood." The figure replied as it crossed the room heading for a chair located on the opposite side of the desk from the teenaged chairman. Before sitting down, and without a word of warning, the man placed a file folder on the imported mahogany desktop; giving it a little push, he slid it easily over the highly polished surface, watching as it landed perfectly - right in front of the somewhat surprised brunet - before taking a seat.

"What's this?"

"Case notes. You can read them later when you're feeling better, but I can give you a brief summary of the facts up till now. A lot of what you suspected was correct; although some of the injuries _were_ from actual gang fights, I started to detect a pattern as I began to compile the data, so I dug a little deeper. As it turns out, these brawls were all on, or within a couple of days of, instances when injuries of some kind had been noticed on the boy already. Knowing that he had a tendency to get involved in scuffles with the local ruffians, most everyone dismissed them as 'gang related', but I agree with you that that's unlikely. I think your supposition is correct – he was getting into fights _intentionally_ and using those injuries to cover up the ones he already had; injuries I now suspect that he received from his father."

Seto scowled. There were two things that the adolescent genius despised more than anything, having been the victim of both – one, being disrespect of any kind, the other being any kind of abuse, whether mental, physical or emotional, of a child by a parent. His hatred of disrespect came from the days right after his parent's deaths, when it seemed all of their relatives believed him and Mokuba somehow unworthy of even the basic human courtesies, dumping them like so much garbage into an orphanage without even a second glance backwards. All they had been interested in was the money and properties that had been left behind, and since the two children weren't mentioned in the will – an understandable, but unfortunate, oversight by their parents - they were of no value to keep around. That was why even now, after acquiring all the power and wealth he possessed, he brokered no tolerance of anything he even remotely perceived as disrespectful in any way, towards himself, or _especially_ towards his little brother.

The issue of abuse was another matter. Even though mentally and emotionally vindictive, Gozaboro had never physically abused him, if you didn't count lack of sleep as physical abuse – all the scars he carried were entirely internal; even then, he had been able to take a slight bit of comfort knowing that Gozaboro wasn't his 'real' father. From the beginning, due to the strange circumstances surrounding their adoption, he had never really had any childish fantasies about Gozaboro being a 'loving and doting' parent, but he had tried to, at the very least, earn his respect somewhere along the way. _That_ had proven to be an impossible task, and when he had realized that his adoptive father saw him only as a 'brain' capable of inventing systems to produce more accurate and destructive weapons of war, _that is when_ he had decided to take over the company. He was not about to leave a 'wasteland' of a world to his brother as his legacy.

"Are you all right?"

The voice from the darkness was soft, its rich timbre and soothing gentleness breaking through his bitter recollections and bringing him instantly back to the matter-at-hand. "Excuse me – go on."

"I could come back if you're not up to this – it's late, after all…and you're not feeling your best…"

"You said this was _urgent_." Seto cut him off with a firm, and pointed reply; waiting impatiently for him to disclose what was so important it had forced him to come to Kaiba's office at that ungodly hour. It surely wasn't to tell him what he had told him so far, so _what_ was it?

A sigh escaped the man's lips, but he complied, nonetheless. "All right. To tell you the truth, I don't know if it's urgent or not – No, that's not exactly true. I don't have any _proof_ that it's urgent, just a 'feeling'…"

The brunet blinked, then straightened up in his chair, the hair on the nape of his neck rising as a strange chill ran through him. "A 'feeling'?" He questioned, "Explain."

Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out a photograph; copying his earlier action, he slid the picture over to the disgruntled teen who held it up to the light coming from the computer screen.

"Who's this?" Kaiba frowned as he squinted at the picture, and then looked back at the photograph's owner.

"I was hoping that _you_ could tell _me_. All I know is that he is somehow involved with the boy's father, which means he definitely isn't a _nice_ fellow. I don't have any real proof – just observations and a 'gut' feeling – but I believe more is going on here beside the abuse of a minor. This guy's behavior is way too cautious and calculated. Even with all the surveillance, this is the best picture I've been able to come up with, and I was damn lucky to get that."

"It's not very good…" Seto commented, blunt as always, "…but it _can_ be better…" he paused, his blue eyes narrowing in determination, "…I'll have my computer lab digitize the photograph and blow it up first thing in the morning."

"Can't you do it on your computer?" The man asked in a surprised, and slightly confused, voice.

Seto smirked. Obviously, the man sitting across from him was _not_ computer savvy. "I could; but there would be a difference between the two in terms of the _Quality_. The computer lab's system is separate from the mainframe – the programs are highly advanced and set up to do specific functions, one of which is aerial mapping. Nowadays, most of that entails downloading information from satellites, but it can also be done using film – because of that, it lends itself very well to the problem of 'reconstructing' photographs that are out of focus, damaged or faded from age. We've used it more than once at the request of the police department to help them save some time when their own lab was backed up, and the results were amazing, to say the least. Judging by the graininess of this photograph…" he frowned as he scanned over it again, "…I'd say that's our best bet. I don't think a less powerful program will give us much to work with."

"All right – I'll leave it to you." There was a soft chuckle. "You know, if you ever get tired of running this multi-billion dollar conglomerate, I think you'd make one damn good detective, Mr. Kaiba."

"Hn." The brunet instantly dismissed the notion as an improbable 'fantasy', but was inwardly pleased by the comment, despite himself. "I'll bear that in mind."

"You do that." The man said, rising from his chair. "You have my number. I think that we should meet again once you have finished with the photo - there are some more issues I'd like to discuss, but until that is done, I don't think there's much point. Suspected abuse aside, I have a suspicion that _whoever_ it is that is in that photograph is somehow the key to whatever else is going on, and _that_ may pose an even greater danger to the boy than his father." With that said, the figure retreated, going back the way it had come. When it reached the door, it paused, the words floating back to the CEO's ears sending that same chill running down his spine again. "It might be a good idea for you to take extra precaution for the next few days, just until we get this matter cleared up – for safety's sake. It couldn't hurt." And then, he was gone, leaving a weary and much aggrieved Seto Kaiba contemplating the question that had been plaguing him off and on for the past two months – if he were really as smart as he had always believed, how in the _Hell_ had he gotten himself so involved in the 'mutt's' problems, and why was it, the more he found out, the more frightened he became?

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Well, **Chapter Nine** has been downloaded. I hope it 'sparks' a few reviews; the 'fuse' had been lit – the 'explosions' are yet to come! Stay tuned! Ja Ne!


	11. Ch 10 Crime and Punishment

**Disclaimer:** Let's see…Rabbit's foot, four-leaf clover, horseshoe, lucky coin…none of it helped me win the lottery (go figure!) so, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh and won't anytime in the foreseeable future!

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**Chapter Ten "Crime and Punishment"**

Jounouchi was barely able to endure the ride home from the salvage yard – not only did his stomach feel as if it were tied into a million knots, but his chest was hurting from its earlier run-in with his father's elbow. He had no doubt, judging from the way it felt, that eventually he was going to have a large and ugly bruise. But that pain wasn't what concerned him during the long journey home – he was more afraid of the pain _that was yet to come_ – the elder Jounouchi's earlier words running like a loud, discordant refrain through the dark corridors of his mind, the fear of that promise being fulfilled turning his beautiful amber orbs a dull, almost muddy brown, as he stole hesitant glances at his father out of the corner of his eye. His father's face remained strangely composed, his expression unreadable by the young teen, and that was all the more unnerving – his father's anger he had learned to deal with – this _polar-opposite_ reaction had him scared down to the very marrow of his bones.

The clock on the car's dash read a little after one am as they pulled into their designated spot in the parking lot of the apartment complex – if it hadn't been for the adrenaline pumping through his system, the frightened blond would have collapsed from sheer nervous exhaustion then and there; but as it was, he could only sit and watch, awaiting his father's instructions with dread, his heart and soul enveloped by a dark sense of foreboding.

As he removed the key from the ignition, Hirotaka turned in his direction and waited for Jounouchi to face him. His eyes lost in shadow, his features still showed no sign of emotion of any kind; when the older man spoke it was with a voice that was equally devoid of feeling, making the boy shudder involuntarily, even though the words his father used seemed innocuous in and of themselves. "I'll go unlock the door. I want you to get the suitcase out of the trunk and bring it in with you. It's heavy, so be careful not to drop it. _Understand?_"

Jou nodded, his gaze slightly lowered, murmuring the expected "yes, sir" in a tremulous voice as his father handed him the car keys. He looked up only as his father exited the driver's side, then watched his retreating back as he made his way at a leisurely pace across the deserted parking lot to the steps of their apartment building. As soon as the blond saw the elder Jounouchi start to ascend the stairs and realization sank in that he really _wasn't_ going to turn around and come back, the boy let out a shuddering sigh of relief; getting out of the car and carefully making sure to lock the doors before slipping around to the back of the vehicle, he cautiously opened the trunk. The sight that greeted him was the suitcase in question, its dull metallic exterior in high contrast to the locks that secured it; the light coming from the street lamp bouncing off of their highly polished surface. Frowning deeply, he remembered when he had seen it for the first time.

_They had gotten the case just after the incident in the shed between him and his father. He had fled back to the car as ordered, desperate to get away from the older man's anger, waiting there, sniffling and trembling in the cold darkness, nursing both an aching body and a troubled heart as he tried to __collect his scattered thoughts. A little over half-an-hour later, his father had emerged from the property's only structure, followed closely by their unfriendly host, who was carrying the rather large, metal suitcase in a VERY protective manner, lending credence to the boy's quick assumption that whatever was inside had to be highly valuable, highly fragile, or BOTH. Remaining face-forward, he had watched their movements through the rearview mirror, until his vision was blocked as his father opened the trunk to allow his companion to deposit the case inside. Once the task was done and the trunk slammed shut, his eyes again locked on the images in the silvered-glass, watching as his father nodded at the other man, who without a word, turned and headed back to his own car. Ten minutes later, they were back on the dirt road, retracing the path they had traveled earlier, once again following their mysterious guide._

Now, standing there in the parking lot's semi-darkness staring at that same metal case, Jounouchi again found himself wondering what was inside. Except for its smooth surface, it very much resembled the case in size and color that Seto Kaiba always seemed to have close-at-hand, but if the anxious blond was sure of anything, he was sure of this – whatever it contained, it was _not_ a set of rare and expensive 'Duel Monster' cards.

Reaching down, he grasped the handle, cautiously flipping the suitcase from its side onto its metal feet. Once that was done, he tried lifting it a little, just to gage its weight. His father had told the truth – it _was_ heavy; it would take both hands and more than a little effort on the weary teen's part to get it up the five flights of stairs to their apartment, especially taking into consideration the damage done earlier by his father's rough treatment.

Twenty minutes later, the beleaguered adolescent stood outside his apartment door, still holding onto the handle of the case with both hands as it rested on the cold concrete in front of him, fighting against the pain of sore ribs as he tried to catch his breath. After a moment, without straightening up and leaving his left hand wrapped tightly around the cold metal bar, he reached out with his right to grasp the doorknob, turning it in one fluid motion. As the door swung open, he picked up the case by the handle with both hands again, walking it across the threshold and into the dimly lit apartment. Setting the suitcase down on the well-traveled carpet a few steps inside the front door, he began to turn around…and suddenly found himself lying on the floor, unable to move, a sharp excruciating pain in his neck and left shoulder causing his vision to blur and his breath to shorten once again. Blinking away the tears, he raised his eyes in confusion to see his father standing over him, his expression triumphant as his dispassionate gaze roamed over his son's face, tapping the two-foot long piece of steel piping he held in his right hand gently against the palm of his left in a steady rhythm. Before Jou's stunned mind could clear enough to understand what was really happening, Hirotaka had dropped the pipe on the carpeted floor beside the suitcase so that he could shut and lock the apartment door; then, taking a tattered rag out of his back pants pocket with one hand, he tangled the other in the boy's long blond locks, and taking a firm hold, yanked him to his feet. The teen's sharp cry of pain ended abruptly in a choked half-sob as the elder Jounouchi forced the toweling into the boy's open mouth, and then, with the hand of one arm still tightly entrenched in the youth's hair, he used the other to cruelly twist Jou's right arm behind his back, smiling as his scream of pain was effectively muffled by the gag.

Pushing him from behind, he guided the terrified adolescent down the narrow hall and into the master bedroom, roughly forcing him to lie, face down, on the king-sized bed. Exchanging his right hand for the knee of his left leg, Hirotaka used it to pin the boy's arm against his back, the extra body weight causing Jou to sink further into the mattress; his breathing shallow and labored as he struggled to fight against not only the added weight constricting his lungs, but the searing pain in the arm that his father held trapped. A few seconds later, the weight increased again as his father leaned down to place a strip of duct tape over the blond's linen-filled mouth, securing the gag in place; and then, removing his knee from the teen's back, he pulled the other arm around in the same manner to join the first, binding both together at the wrist with another strip of tape.

Once that was finished, he turned his attention to the still dazed boy's lower extremities. Removing Jou's worn cardboard-lined sneakers and threadbare sweat-socks, he crossed his son's well-muscled legs at the ankles, using a third piece of tape – much longer than the one he had used on his arms – to fasten them together, winding it around several times until he was confident that it would hold against the boy's 'runner's strength'. It wasn't that the elder Jounouchi expected Katsuya to _run_ from him – the young teen knew from previous experience not to try _that_, since it would only ensure that his punishment would be ten times worse when he was caught – it was just that, with what Hirotaka had planned for that evening's 'entertainment', he thought it was best to take the added precaution. After all, being kicked was _not _a fun experience – at least, not if you were on the RECEIVING end.

Satisfied that the half-conscious man child was now entirely at his mercy, the older blond stepped back from the bed, a cold gleam in his eyes. Pulling out the drawer of the cheap, wooden nightstand, he reached inside and retrieved his latest acquisition – an expensive, little 'toy' called a 'Picana' that was a take-off on what was commonly referred to by the general public as a 'cattle prod' – an electrified stick used to force all manner of 'unwilling' animals, not necessarily just cattle, to move through the long and narrow chutes used to guide them on their way to slaughter. Many packing plants had stopped using them in recent years, mostly due to negative public opinion and the outcry of activists, the issue often being forced to a head by the 'animal rights' people through the use of boycotts and bad press – but this one was different from _those _in one major aspect. This _one_ had been especially created for use only on _humans;_ it was portable, easy to use and allowed the torturer to localize the electric shocks to the most sensitive places on the body, and the voltage was adjustable, giving the wielder absolute control – meaning that, with patience and a little practice, even though being excruciatingly painful, the device would leave behind no physical evidence of it use _at all_. It was the perfect 'tool' that the elder Jounouchi had been searching for, and like a kid who was let loose in a candy store and told that he could have as much of anything that he wanted, he couldn't WAIT to try it out.

It was the sound of a soft whimper coming from the bed that drew his attention back to his helpless captive. The boy, now fully aware of what was going on, was watching him with impossibly wide eyes that were filled with indescribable terror – eyes that, seemingly against all the laws of nature, widened even more as the man, who both biology and the Courts had decreed to be his 'father', with a feral grin on his face, descended on him like a vulture to a quickly rotting carcass. And like so many times before, no one heard the muffled scream that broke through the night air as the sky began to cloud and the rain began to fall…or any of the ones that followed.

瀬戸城が好き

Half-way across town, on the second floor of the Kame Game Shop, in a small back bedroom graced with the luxury of a over-sized skylight, a teen with tri-colored hair of black, red and gold, appearing much younger than his age of sixteen years, tossed and turned fitfully, caught in the throes of a horrible nightmare. The storms from the previous day that seemed to have faded into nothing more than a dim memory, had returned with a vengeance, and as a sudden flash of lightening lit up the night sky, sending a charge of static electricity humming through the air, the youth snapped awake with a sharp cry, his large violet eyes spilling over with tears as the last terrifying images died away. Instantaneously, there was a golden glow from the pyramid-shaped object on the distraught boy's study desk, and an almost identical, though somewhat older, ghost-like edition of the now close-to-hysterical teenager quickly made its way to the boy's bedside, deep concern etched into its handsome features.

"Yuugi! Yuugi – what's wrong?" Unable to get the deeply sobbing boy to respond, the shadow image suddenly solidified, sitting down on the bed and pulling the smaller version of itself onto its lap. Wrapping it arms around the now almost convulsing adolescent, it gently began to rock back and forth, unconsciously keeping time with the rhythm of the rain that was beating heavily against the skylight's fragile panes.

瀬戸城が好き

Meanwhile, in downtown Domino's business district, in a majestic tower that was recognizable to almost every conscious being on the planet, Seto Kaiba sat debating on whether or not, due to the lateness of the hour and the monsoon-like conditions outside, he should even bother trying to make it home to catch a few hours sleep. Actually, he had a small bedroom suite set up at Kaiba Corporation Headquarters just for these kinds of emergencies – it was his little brother that he was more concerned with. The detective's earlier parting words were still on his mind as he sat mulling over his decision. He had almost convinced himself that it would be foolish to leave – taking into consideration that with travel time, he would only get a couple of hours rest at best – when a sudden streak of lightening lit up the night sky, its reflection drawing his attention to the silver-plated picture frame sitting on his desk.

It had been a 'just because' gift from Mokuba three months prior. He had been going through a particularly grueling period, working an even heavier schedule than normal, as well as fighting with his new Board of Directors – whom he subsequently fired – but not before the long hours and stress had taken its toll, causing him to uncharacteristically loose his temper at his cherished younger sibling, sending the boy away in tears.

He _knew_ that he was in the wrong – no matter how bad his life might become, he had no right to take it out on the one person in the world who cared about him for something _other_ than just his money or the power he held. But before he had had a chance to figure out a proper apology, he had found a badly wrapped package and a note scrawled in his brother's messy handwriting waiting with his morning coffee. It had read:

"Dear Seto-- I'm sorry you're having such a bad time right now. Don't let those corporate jerks push you around – you work way too hard, Oniisama, and they take advantage of you way too easily. Tell THEM to go take a hike, and YOU get some rest. I hope you like my 'little' surprise. Love, Mokuba"

Hidden within the nondescript brown paper, he had found the frame. It wasn't unusual and it wasn't expensive – but he wouldn't trade it for anything because of who it came from, the thought behind it and what it contained. Looking at it now, he lightly skimmed a finger over the picture of his brother's beaming face with a smile, which promptly turned into a frown as he noticed something for the first time with the next flash of lightening.

His brother was not alone in the picture. In the background, over to the far right and barely in camera range, stood a gregarious blond, his fingers raised in the traditional 'peace' sign, an impish grin on his face.

Seto's frown deepened as he stared at the photo in confusion. How had he missed _that? _And why was he noticing it only _now_?

Almost as if in response to his unspoken question, there came a crackle of lightening so brilliant that it dazzled the eyes, on the heels of which followed a rumble of thunder so powerful that it shook the building and rattled the windows, its almost deafening sound still not able to prevent an unfamiliar 'popping' noise from reaching the brunet's ears.

When his hearing had returned to normal and his vision had cleared, the young CEO found himself staring in open, wide-eyed disbelief at the much-treasured picture frame sitting before him. Almost not daring to breathe, he reached out a shaky hand, stopping before his fingers actually touched its flat surface, his intense blue eyes tracing the crack in the glass that, while missing his brother's image entirely, effectively cut the other persona in the photograph into nearly equal halves.

Dropping his hand to his side, the teen billionaire continued to stare as he silently reminded himself that he did _not_ believe in Destiny, in Fate _or_ in omens – but somewhere, hidden deep inside, a tiny, and oft-ignored, voice was asking if that were really true – and for the first time in his life, the 'great' Seto Kaiba found himself unable to answer that question with a firm and resounding "Yes!", sudden doubt tugging heavily at his mind.

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**Chapter Ten** has been put to bed and tucked in tight! Until next chapter, take care dear viewers and thanks for reading – and remember, new reviewers are always welcome, constructive criticism is ALWAYS appreciated, and the pointing out of errors is always helpful. Ja Ne!


	12. Ch 11 Chance and the Hands of Fate

**Disclaimer:** All right, for any of you that may still have doubts, I have chiseled-it-in-stone and shall pass the tablets down to my family's future generations – I do **NOT** own Yu-Gi-Oh; but the characters of Suichi Okawa, Tadashi Tanaka and Hatsuto Watanabe (also known as 'Bolts') ARE mine, along with this story…(shakes finger in warning) so, HANDS OFF!

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**Chapter Eleven "Chance and the Hands of Fate"**

Hatsuto Watanabe sat at the bar deep in thought, nursing his third 'Whiskey Sour' and smoking his next to last cigarette, the memory of the events of earlier in the evening causing a small smirk to grace his thin lips, his dark eyes lit with a strange black fire. It wouldn't be long now – just a few more days and he, and his family, would have their long-awaited revenge on the infamous _Seto Kaiba_.

His smirk widened as he thought of it, the anticipation heating his blood as nothing else could – he was going to take that smug, way-too-rich bastard down, and what was even better, he was going to use his precious little brother and his brother's friend to do it.

Throwing some bills on the counter and downing the last of his drink, the forty year-old, seemingly unaffected by the alcohol he had consumed in such a short period of time, slipped off of the wooden bar stool with a feline grace. Nodding his farewell to the bartender who was getting ready to lock up for the night, he made his way through the now empty tavern to the exit, frowning as he heard the unmistakable roll of thunder from outside. Opening the door, he cursed his luck as the cold dampness hit him in the face like a wet blanket, his warm breath becoming a puff of mist as he pulled up the collar of his jacket, a scowl settling on his eagle-like features. Gods, how he _hated_ this town – as much as he was looking forward to settling the score with that _imposter_ who claimed to be a 'Kaiba', he was looking forward even more to leaving this god-forsaken place – he felt his spirits lift a bit as the thought crossed his mind that when he _did_, it was going to be on Seto Kaiba's 'tab'. Of course, _that_ all depended on if everything went according to plan, and Hirotaka was right about the boy…

Frowning, Watanabe stepped out onto the sidewalk, the cloth awning overhead keeping him relatively dry even during the current torrential downpour, and quickly scanned the street before him, his piercing eyes noting with satisfaction that he seemed to be its only occupant. That was good. He _liked _the shadows. The less he was seen, the safer he became. For one who lived in the dark, it was the light that was the greatest enemy.

And he _definitely _lived in the dark – he _and_ his family; they had, ever since that fateful day nearly a year ago, the _second_ worst day of his life, when the 'purging' had taken place at Kaiba Corporation.

The mere memory of it made his blood boil – the hatred flaring in his eyes. It was just after the corporation's long-standing and powerful Board of Directors, whom Kaiba Corporation employees and most of the business world knew collectively as the 'Big Five', had _mysteriously_ disappeared - mysterious to everyone else perhaps, but not to _him_. He knew quite well what had happened.

Everything had been going perfectly until that over-confident fool Pegasus had been defeated by Yuugi Mutou at 'Duelist's Kingdom'. It was true that the loss was unexpected – after all, _he_ was the creator of the game _and_ the one who had designed all the cards – yet in the end, even his use of one-of-a-kind, uncirculated cards and his strange 'Millennium Eye' had made little difference. The surprisingly young, and irritatingly innocent master duelist, who seemed to change into an entirely different person in the dueling arena, and who had come out-of-nowhere to beat Seto Kaiba with astonishing ease, had stubbornly battled past every obstacle that was thrown his way, in the end freeing not only his grandfather, but the Kaiba brothers, as well – and in doing so, had ruined a carefully laid plan. A plan that would have ensured Pegasus's acquisition of the company, the company's future profitability, Seto Kaiba's downfall – and the 'Big Five's' survival.

As it was, after everything was said and done, the members of the Board had found themselves facing an extremely irate pubescent mogul who, in his fury, had threatened to take away more than just their jobs.

Little had they known just how _serious_ he was.

They had quickly switched to their backup plan, trying to convince the enraged teen that what had seemed like an act of betrayal, had in actuality been a botched attempt at rescue, dangling the tempting carrot of a finished 'Virtual Reality' game in the face of the fuming brunet in much the same way a fisherman would bobble a baited hook in front of a hungry fish – and to their utter astonishment, and secret delight, the much-despised CEO had taken that information and had run with it – even disregarding multiple warnings to proceed with caution from his esteemed little brother.

It was a fact – even though using Gozaboro Kaiba's heir's weaknesses of pride and the love of technology to the 'Big Five's' advantage had been the plan all along, the ease with which he had fallen into the trap had been totally mind-blowing – and equally as deceptive. What they had all failed to recognize at the time was the true nature and strength of the bond that existed between the two brothers; and the strange connection that seemed to tie Seto Kaiba's fate to that of his greatest rival's – Yuugi Mutou. The younger Kaiba's ability to convince the newly crowned 'King of Games', and his entourage of friends, to embark on a make-shift rescue mission had been the beginning of the end for the group of elite executives – and the beginning of Watanabe's journey into HELL.

Standing there underneath the awning, the dark-haired man seethed with what he deemed a righteous anger, a snarl rising from the back of his throat as he recounted the mindless bedlam that had taken place in the company hierarchy after the board members had gone missing. And he remembered, with distaste, the abject fear that had hit him hard when he had realized that _any_ protection that _he_ might have had from any possible consequences tied to the failed conspiracy had vanished right along with his uncle. Like it or not, he was on his own.

_He had done his best in the six months that it had taken him to rewrite Kaiba's 'Virtual Reality' __program to cover their tracks and to justify his uncle's faith in his abilities, knowing that with their_ _success, his swift movement up the executive ladder of Kaiba Corporation wouldn't be far behind – whether through gratitude or blackmail, he wasn't sure which – not that it really mattered, all that much. He had left that 'little detail' in his uncle's capable hands. He knew that he would convince whomever he had to, using whatever means necessary; after all, he __**was**__ helping to bring about the goal that the 'Big Five' had set their sights on – returning Kaiba Corporation to its former glory as one of the world's leading weapons manufacturers – as well as completely destroying that arrogant brat, Seto Kaiba, in the process._

_But it hadn't worked out that way. Instead, it was the 'Big Five' who had been toppled, leaving the icy-eyed teen with more control over the company and holding more power in the business world than ever before. The respect that he had lost and the reputation that had been tarnished by the now seemingly 'all-powerful' CEO's defeat at the hands of Yuugi Mutou, having been completely restored, either because of their admiration for, or their fear of, his ability to quash such a well-planned 'coup'._

_And Kaiba had wasted no time before using everything at his disposal to absolutely CRUSH the last remnants of the 'mutiny', with an unwavering single-mindedness that had been terrifying to behold. The entire company had been restructured and every department reorganized. Anyone who had any ties to the 'Big Five' in any way had been fired; whether they were truly guilty of actually helping the Board with its plans or of just looking-the-other-way – it made no difference. The brunet's retribution was swift and merciless; and all decisions were** final**._

_And the one thing that he had taken particular delight in was 'weeding out' the family members – all of those employees who bore some relation to the vanquished executives, and who had used those connections to secure employment at Kaiba Corporation – they were the **first** to go._

Taking his last cigarette out of the pack, Watanabe slipped it between his lips, crushing and tossing the now empty container away into the darkness, noting with some irony that it was very similar to the way that _he_ and so many other Kaiba Corporation employees had been tossed away – like so much crumpled up garbage. He chose to disregard entirely what the Board had been trying to do, and the fact that, if the shoe-had-been-on-the-other-foot and it had been Kaiba who had disappeared, the exact same thing would have happened to the young CEO's 'loyal followers'; it made little difference to his warped and hate-filled mind. In his twisted way of thinking, they would have only been getting what they deserved for abandoning the true-calling of Kaiba Corporation and for defiling the memory of its larger-than-life and much beloved 'supreme leader', the late lamented Gozaboro Kaiba.

_His luck had held out for a while. He had covered his tracks flawlessly in regards to the rewritten program - at least, in __**his**__ opinion. After all, no one had yet been able to trace the mastermind who had tinkered with Seto Kaiba's favorite 'pet project' – and __**he**__ was certain that they never would. As for his being a relative of a member of the Board, that had been a well-kept secret from the very beginning – a fact that had come in handy on more than one occasion._

_It had been his uncle's idea. They were related through marriage only – it was his mother's sister's second marriage – and because of that, a different last name, and a few 'pulled strings', he was easily_ _passed through Kaiba Corporation's 'standard' background check without so much as even a __**hiccup. **__Having been able to place his own personal spy within the company had been an accomplishment that his uncle had been extremely proud of, and he had used him to great advantage._

Pulling out his lighter, Hatsuto Watanabe stared at it as it lay in the palm of his hand, his eyes narrowing as the memories continued to flash through his mind.

_He had come to the conclusion that he was safe. He had left no evidence behind. And he had to acknowledge that with his uncle's disappearance, the only source who had known of his contributions from behind-the-scenes was gone – removing a major stumbling block, as well as a chance for future blackmail which might prevent his advancement up the ladder-of-success. After all, he wasn't planning to kowtow to his uncle's wishes forever; and since being 'power-hungry' had been a long-standing and highly-prized trait in his family, as well as his uncle's, for as long as he could remember, their eventual butting-of-heads had been a given. However, at that moment with his identity still a secret, and nothing pointing to him to indicate that he had been involved in the company's internal power-struggle in any way, he had decided that his best bet was to lie low and pretend as if he were nothing more than the 'average' company employee; especially since there had been no further firings over the past three weeks and the word through the office 'grapevine' had it that the investigation had been called off by the still somewhat-rankled CEO, as the belief had begun to settle in that all of the culprits had been flushed from the company's system. What he hadn't known was that the rumor had been started by that same CEO as a ruse to trick whatever 'rats' might be left into dropping their guard – and it had worked **beautifully**._

Lighting his cigarette and taking a deep drag, he watched the smoke drift away into the moisture-laden air, the bitterness he felt reflected in his eyes as he slipped the lighter back into his jacket pocket. Even feeling the way he did, Watanabe had to admit, although begrudgingly, that what the seventeen year-old chairman had done next had been a stroke of pure genius – and the deciding blow that had sounded the death-knell of his career, as well as his family's hard-won reputation.

_The rumor that had been circulated had led to the uncovering of fifteen more 'rats' hiding in the 'woodwork' – it was true that all of their roles had been minor, and if they had continued to watch their backs, most of them would not have been caught – but the misinformation that had been leaked had done exactly what it was supposed to do, and they had become careless._

_In his case, it seemed that he was still flying beneath the company's 'radar' without detection – at least, he had thought so until he was called into his department manager's office and told that his employment was being terminated under direct orders from Seto Kaiba himself – no explanation as to why being given. Putting on a brave face, he had stormed out of the manager's office in a false fit of anger, his stomach sinking as his racing mind flipped through all the possible reasons for Kaiba's 'sudden' decision – each one leading to the not-so-pleasant conclusion that he had, even with all the __precautions that he had taken, been 'found out'. The question was, __**what**__ had been found – and __**how**__?_

Watching the heavy rain as it flowed off of the edge of the awning like a watery curtain, the man who, since his fall from grace, had picked up the unusual nickname of 'Bolts', found himself remembering with dis-ease the three nightmare-filled weeks that he had spent after his firing waiting for the police to come knocking at his door. It was then that he had managed to find out what had happened, and his bitter admiration of, and deep hatred for, the teen CEO of the world's number-one ranked electronic game company had grown by leaps and bounds.

_He had hired a __**private detective**_.

_No matter what people thought, it seemed that the arrogant chairman of Kaiba Corporation was smart enough to know when he was out of his element, and he had called in a professional to takeover the investigation. Watanabe held the firm belief that it had been **his** suggestion to start the rumor; but he knew with **certainty** that the idea to check out the immediate family history of the 'Big Five's' board members had been his and **his alone**._

_But the detective hadn't stopped there. Apparently, working on nothing more than a gut-feeling, he had continued, expanding the search to include nieces and nephews. And **he** had been the one who had found out about his and his uncle's connection. The disclosure, once passed along to the unforgiving, icy-eyed, teen-aged mogul had spelled his doom, not only at Kaiba Corporation, but also in the Domino business community, in general._

_He had, in effect, been '**blacklisted**'. _

Flicking what was left of his still smoldering cigarette out into the rain, the ex-employee recalled the oath that he had made to himself on that day – he would see the downfall of Seto Kaiba. He would see him suffer a thousand deaths as he lost everything that he held of value in this world, and he would make sure that he spent the rest of his life in misery, remembering _exactly_ what it was that he had lost.

As for that detective…_**He**_ would pay, as well. It was only a matter of time.

And with the flames of revenge burning brightly in his eyes, and a smile finally on his lips, Hatsuto Watanabe stepped out onto the rain-flooded street, gradually disappearing into the sheltering darkness and the swirling fury of the storm.

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Well, **Chapter Eleven** has come in under the wire! Woo! Enjoy, and I'll see you next time! Ja Ne!


	13. Ch 12 The Best Laid Plans

**Disclaimer: **I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh. There! I said it! Are you HAPPY now? (Sniffles and reaches for Kleenex) Well, I'm NOT!

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**Chapter Twelve "The Best Laid Plans…"**

Jou wasn't sure exactly when his brain registered the fact that he was awake – how long he had lain there with his eyes open but unseeing was a mystery. Almost as big a mystery as was the means by which he had gotten from inside the apartment door to his room. The last thing he clearly remembered was setting down the suitcase he had brought in from the car – the rest was a fuzzy, jumbled collage of images that made no sense, even though his mind was struggling desperately to put them into proper order.

It wasn't until he tried to move that everything became crystal clear, the memory of what had happened rushing back, accompanied by a wave of dizziness that, for a few moments, had the room spinning crazily like some cheap carnival ride on a hot, summer's afternoon.

When he was certain that the room had finally decided to remain stationary and it was safe to try again, Jou slowly forced himself up and into a sitting position, carefully swinging his legs over the side of the twin-sized bed to gingerly rest his bare feet on the thinly carpeted floor. Rubbing his now itching wrists where the duct tape had once been, he wiggled his toes, puzzled at the strange sensation he was feeling, then noted the cause with an almost clinical detachment; the soles of his feet were swollen, and it felt almost as if he were trying to stand on water-filled balloons – except he doubted that balloons would hurt as much.

Even that small action left him feeling drained, but the blond knew from past experience that the more he moved, the easier it would become, and even though his body at first screamed at him loudly and insistently to _stop!_, after a few minutes, the sharp pain had ebbed away to become a dull ache which was, at least, bearable. And as the pain had lessened, the teen had felt another familiar sensation; however, this time it came from his stomach. He was _hungry_, and for the first time in many days, he actually felt as if he could eat something without throwing up.

The boy found the idea ironic. He had just survived one of the worst nights of his life, and _only_ now did his stomach decide to get over its queasiness. He almost wanted to laugh – until the thought crept up from somewhere deep in the back of his mind that, just maybe, _that_ was the reason why – he had _survived_, and in order to continue to do so, he _had_ to eat. The fact that he knew that his father wasn't home didn't hurt the recovery of his appetite any, either.

He had no clue as to where the elder Jounouchi went on Saturdays, but each week he looked forward to that day as if it marked the second-coming of Buddha, and he held it in just as much reverence. Even though he usually spent half of the day in school, that never seemed to matter because he knew that the time after was his and _his alone_ – he could while away the hours doing anything he wanted to without fear of his father or his father's anger. Even his friends had not failed to notice that the blond seemed more comfortable and lighter-hearted when Saturday rolled around – though they always mistakenly attributed the honey-eyed teen's better mood to the fact that it was the last day of school for the week, and then waved away any further discussion of the matter as being unimportant. It was never considered a serious enough topic to be delved into with any depth. It was just one of Jounouchi's many 'quirks', and it was left at that.

Knowing that class had been canceled for this particular Saturday made the day even more special for the hapless youth. Long-overdue renovations were being done at the school, which was trying to get ready for the expected increase in enrollment in the up-coming year and the replacement of outdated technology – three of the six newly constructed classrooms were slated to be used as computer labs, with the computers being supplied, of course, by none other than Domino City's major employer, Kaiba Corporation, and its magnanimous leader, and _self-proclaimed _computer-expert, _Seto Kaiba_.

On his way to the kitchen to see what he could find to satisfy his suddenly reawakened appetite, Jou made a quick detour to use the bathroom. Catching sight of his reflection in the bathroom mirror as he entered, he let out a loud gasp, and then stood there in stunned disbelief as he made a mental note of all of the damage that his father's new little torment device had wrought. It was true – there was nothing on him that could actually be called a 'mark', but his face was an unhealthy-looking shade of ashen-gray and there were dark circles underneath his eyes that spoke volumes about what he had suffered the night before. And it was then that he discovered that the bottoms of his feet weren't the only things that were swollen. Apparently, every place on his body that had come into contact with his father's latest torture instrument seemed to have the same problem; at least, as far as he pursued the matter, which consisted mostly of lifting his shirt to examine a well-defined, and rather badly bruised, chest. When it came right down to it, he looked _much_ worse than he actually felt now, not that he felt all that great, but still…it was a shock…No pun intended.

Deciding that his stomach could wait for just a bit longer, the battered teen quickly stripped of the filthy school uniform that he was still wearing and headed for the shower. Turning on the water and adjusting the temperature, he stepped in, drawing the half-clear, half-opaque plastic shower curtain closed, and then quickly moved to stand directly under the almost eye-watering sting of the full-force spray. Closing his eyes, he let the water wash away the tears and dirt as it soothed his aching muscles, a sigh of relief leaving his lips as his body relaxed in the enveloping warmth.

Twenty minutes later, the image in the mirror showed an entirely different picture – the face currently staring back at him was tinted a ruddy-red, the dark circles now barely noticeable with the addition of some color to his skin, and his amber eyes, which had been dark and dull, had brightened a bit as the water had worked its healing magic. Satisfied, he wrapped the white, terry-cloth bath towel that he had used to dry off with around his waist, throwing his dirty clothes into the brown wicker hamper as he padded past, his mind once again beginning to focus on his growling stomach.

What he found as he rummaged around in the small kitchen was disappointing, but not unexpected. By the time he was finished, he had come up with a few Styrofoam cups of Instant Ramen, a package of frozen Beef Teriyaki, and a half of a Cheese pizza that he knew was at least two days old. He had also found a few envelopes of Instant Hot Chocolate that had been thrown into a drawer and obviously forgotten. It wasn't anywhere near what he had been taught constituted a proper diet, and he was sure that if his Health Instructor could see what it was that he was about to eat, that she would pass out from shock – but _she_ wasn't there, the blond was now starving and it wasn't like he had much choice in the matter, so the boy did the only thing that he could…

He put the Teriyaki in the microwave, the kettle on to boil and attacked his first slice of cold Cheese pizza.

瀬戸城が好き

To say that Seto Kaiba was furious would have been the understatement of the _Century_.

Sitting in his office, he scowled at the man standing in front of him, his glare cold enough to give an Eskimo the chills as he pushed his words out through clenched teeth. "So, when _will_ we be up and running again? It's imperative that I have access to that program as soon as possible – I don't care _what_ it takes! Call in every technician we have if you need to, just _get it DONE!_"

"Y-yes, sir…!"

The brunet watched as the man fled, his long, white lab-coat flapping behind him as he half-walked, half-ran from the room, and then, as the door closed, the young CEO's fist came down with a crushing force onto the desktop in front of him, a snarl of angry frustration breaking from his lips. _Now_ was not the time for _this_ to happen.

The computers were _DOWN_. Not the main computers that conducted the routine, everyday business of Kaiba Corporation, but the very ones that held the specialized program that he had been counting on using. To say that he had not taken the news well would be like saying that the Sun was a bit warm – word spread like wildfire through the company 'grapevine' that, if you wanted to keep your job, _today_ would not be a good day to bother 'Master' Kaiba.

It was all due to the storm. The huge lightening strike had hit one of the Utility substations that supplied electricity to downtown Domino's business zone, sending out a tremendous power surge that had worked its way along the grid, essentially shutting down the inner district block-by-block as it wound its way along. One of the first group to feel its wrath was Kaiba Corporation Headquarters – and the building that housed Kaiba Corporation's 'Advanced Sciences' Department. And even though the heavy-duty circuit breakers had been tripped and the costly surge suppressors had kicked in, there had still been enough juice left in the lines to start a fire in the computer room's main control console, leaving it entirely useless. Luckily, the computers themselves were fine – the 'backup' surge suppressors had prevented any losses there; but until the console could be fixed, they would remain 'off-line'. The technicians were working on it, but some parts were having to be flown in due to their local unavailability – the estimation that he had been given before the damage could be totally repaired and the system 'rebooted' being, at the very least, _two_ days.

It was two days _too _long. Even though his brain understood perfectly what his technicians were up against, and he could say without any doubts whatsoever that they were some of the best in the world, that nagging voice from somewhere deep inside was screaming that the detective was right – he held the clue that was the key to everything in his hands – the only problem being, as it was now, it was _useless_. And the only alternative to rectify the current situation that he could think of had proved to be a dead end – the police lab's computer system had been taken out by the same storm. In fact, theirs were in worse shape – the power surge had done extensive damage because of their closer proximity to the substation – and he knew _exactly _what kind of damage that could cause; after all, the entire system, including the program that the police department was using had been developed by, and purchased from, Kaiba Corporation.

No matter which way he turned, he was, to use the vernacular, _'screwed'_. The only other computers that were anywhere close to what he needed belonged either to the military or to other countries – none of which, he was sure, would consider his 'problem' of enough importance to loan him user-time on their multi-billion dollar systems.

He doubted that he would get very far even if he offered to pay for their use – _if _they took him seriously, that is – and that was a big IF. He would more than likely be hung up on, with the person on the other end of the line thinking it was some sort of hoax. And if they _did _believe him, he could just _imagine_ what they would be thinking _then_ – one, Seto Kaiba had completely lost his mind; or two, Seto Kaiba was a madman all along and it was just now coming to light. Rubbing his temples, his eyes tightly closed to fight the re-emergence of the migraine that had never really left, he wondered to himself if, perhaps, both weren't true, but the fact was that he was in so deep and the warning sirens in his brain that had started out as mere whispers were blaring so loudly, that logic really didn't matter anymore. He was going on pure 'gut instinct' – something he had _never_ done before and hoped to _never _have to do again – and that instinct was telling him that something _very_ bad was about to happen, something over which he had NO control.

And if there was one thing that Seto Kaiba despised above all else, it was feeling helpless in any situation. He had felt that way too many times when his adoptive father, Gozaboro, was alive, and had sworn on the day that he had forced the elder Kaiba out as President and Chief Executive Officer of Kaiba Corporation that he would never again allow himself to be caught in a position of weakness – after all, at the level in the world of cut-throat business in which he and Mokuba existed, the 'illusion' of absolute strength was sometimes the only _real _protection they had.

The oath that he had made back then was a major reason why his pride had suffered so badly at his loss to Yuugi Mutou; the general public be damned - there were only a handful of people whose opinions the brunet valued, and that list started with _himself_. The whole world could think that he was the best or, depending on the viewpoint taken, the worst thing to come along since 'sliced bread', but if he disagreed, what the world thought didn't matter. And there were few people who could dissuade him otherwise – the first, of course, being Mokuba – and, surprisingly, he had to admit that the next in line would have to be Yuugi. Or perhaps, that wasn't so surprising; he _was, _after all, the only person that Seto was even willing to consider as being his 'equal' – at least, where it concerned his one and only _true _passion in life, anyway.

The third name on that list, however, was just a recent addition, and a somewhat disturbing 'revelation' – one that his 'logical' mind said had no right to be there, much less consciously acknowledged – and yet, he could no longer deny it. Perhaps it was because of what he _knew_, actual proof aside, was happening to the boy, or the fact that he now had to agree that his brother had been right and that his impression of the youth had been faulty from the very beginning – whatever it was, logical or not, the icy-eyed teen had been forced to admit to himself that what the honey-eyed blond thought of him mattered. Knowing that it wasn't favorable gave him an unpleasant feeling; one that, if he were to examine it closely enough, could almost be likened to a bad case of guilt_ – and regret. _And that was something Seto Kaiba would NOT stand for. Of all the mottoes that the stoic teen strove to live his life by, there were two that he held above all the rest – one was 'don't get mad, get even', and the other was 'if you break it, fix it' – guilt and regrets were for losers who took no responsibility for cleaning up whatever messes they had made in life.

But even _he_ recognized that, although he had almost unlimited resources, that there was only so much that he could do in a limited amount of time, working on an uneven playing field that had been stacked to his disadvantage. It was a truth that he had no choice but to accept.

Even so, that didn't mean that he had to _like_ it.

瀬戸城が好き

Jounouchi drained his cup of the last of the hot chocolate with a contented sigh, a satisfied grin breaking out on his grateful face for the first time in days. He might pay for it later, but he had managed to devour every bit of the strange combination of rations that he had come up with in record time. Now, as he sat there, stomach full, he allowed himself to enjoy a certainly well-deserved, but decidedly rare, moment of pure bliss before forcing his mind back to grim reality and the hard decisions to be made.

The blond had already made peace with the undeniable fact that going up against his father was a stupid and reckless thing to do – then again, no one had ever accused him of being 'too bright' for his own good. And he knew that there was an enormous chance that he wouldn't come out of this in very good shape – IF he came out of it at all. It _certainly_ wasn't that he was brave by any stretch of the imagination; the truth was, that he was so scared most of the time that lately he had begun to wonder why he didn't have a permanent knock-in-the-knees. But, in his 'mind's eye' he kept seeing Mokuba's face and remembering the way that Kaiba's hard exterior seemed to soften every time that he looked at his little brother, and the way he caved-in so easily whenever the dark-haired 'mop-top' turned on the tears, fake though they might be, or let loose the 'puppy dog eyes' – and he knew that he had no alternative; at least, not if he wanted to be able to sleep at night with a clear conscious. He _had_ to do something!

_This _was what connected him so strongly to the sharp-tongued entrepreneur – this 'common ground' was the reason the younger boy found it impossible to hate the cerulean-eyed youth no matter how badly he treated him. And _this_ was exactly why he couldn't stand idly by even if it did mean risking his already uncertain future. He knew what Hell it was to have someone that he loved with all his heart and soul to be torn away from him, and it was a fate that he wouldn't wish on anyone – not even the 'infamous' Seto Kaiba.

It was the weekend. School was closed, and his father was gone. He would never get a better opportunity than this – waiting was _not _an option. Jou knew from his conversations with Mokuba that on the rare occasions when they did not have classes on Saturday, that Kaiba's usual routine entailed spending a couple of hours at his company's main office in the early morning, and then leaving to continue his work from home. He was sure that he would have the best chance of finding a way to talk with the dour-faced young genius if he confronted him on his home ground; after all, he would be handing him the perfect chance to taunt and insult him – his _favorite_ pastime. How _could_ he pass it up?

Glancing at the clock on the kitchen wall and noting the time, Jou decided, calculating how long it would take him to dress and then to make it to the Kaiba Estate, that the teen CEO should just about be pulling up into his driveway when he arrived. That might work to his advantage – if he timed it right and piqued his curiosity enough, he was sure that the chestnut-haired teen was more likely to listen to what he had to say without having him bounced out on his ear by one of his burly bodyguards. Whether he chose to _believe_ his story or not was another matter.

No. He would _make_ him believe.

Ten minutes later, dressed in clean blue jeans, sneakers and his favorite tee shirt, Jou was locking the apartment door behind him, he features set with grim determination. Turning around, he swiftly descended the multiple layers of stairs that led down to the street-level, and once there, took off at a steady gait heading north towards downtown Domino and the well-known route that led to the 'famous' Kaiba mansion, grimacing at the bone-jarring impact the jogging inflicted on his slowly recovering body and the hardness of the concrete beneath his still swollen feet.

It hurt, but it was a pain he could live with – after all, he was on a mission.

Across the street, in the Gas Station adjacent to the apartment complex's 'Visitor's' parking lot, leaning nonchalantly against the cool concrete block of the building, 'Bolts' watched the boy intently as he rounded the corner, a smirk on his lips and a triumphant gleam in his eyes as he casually flipped open his cell phone and punched in the code for the number that he had set up on speed dial. "He's on the move." He paused as he listened to the reply, and then grinned callously. "I understand. I'm on my way." Flicking his phone closed, he slipped it back into his inside jacket pocket as he headed for the car hidden from view on the other side of the building, his smile growing wider with each step he took.

The 'day of reckoning' was here at last.

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**Chapter Twelve** – can you believe it? I know! I know! It's a cliffhanger, but I couldn't help it! It just turned out that way! Honest!

Oh, well! Thanks to all who have read my little story, and 'double-thanks' to all who have reviewed! And, as always, take care until next time! Ja Ne!


	14. Ch 13 A is for Apple, B is for Betrayal

**Disclaimer:** (Clearing throat) A-hem! This is an important announcement from the author of this story. Although she finds the writing imaginative, the characters ever the more fascinating, and the show highly addictive, she, unfortunately, does **NOT** own Yu-Gi-Oh. She does, however, own the 'original' characters in this drama and its rather convoluted plot. Thanks for 'listening' and have a good day. That is all.

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**Chapter Thirteen "'A' is for 'Apple', 'B' is for 'Betrayal'…"**

After making it about three-quarters of the way to the Kaiba Estate, the effects of the previous evening's 'entertainment' and the additional stress he was forcing onto his already severely abused body began to overwhelm Jounouchi's initial rush of Adrenalin and he slowed down to a 'fast', and painful, limp – as the old saying went, "the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak" – even with mindful determination, his body could only take so much before it broke down completely. That was something that he couldn't let happen; at least not _now_. Too much was at stake.

He had been fifteen minutes into his 'run' and just at the outskirts of downtown Domino when it had occurred to him that going through the middle of town probably _wasn't_ the brightest idea – the last thing that he needed was to be spotted by one of the Yuugi-tachi as they were coming out of 'Burger World', or one of their other favorite haunts, the 'Big Web' arcade – so, he had begun to bob-and-weave through the back alleys that he remembered from his old 'gang' days, trying as much as possible to keep off the main thoroughfare and out of sight. The trip would take longer, but he figured that being a little extra cautious was well worth it, if it increased his chances of success.

Now, the blond was wondering if, perhaps, he shouldn't have taken the easier route. He was exhausted, his body ached terribly and his feet burned; all he really wanted to do was to lie down and sleep for the next 20 or 30,000 years and forget his miserable life and the seemingly inescapable and mind-boggling mess that he found himself in.

That's what he _wanted_ to do. He also wanted a father who loved him, a 'happy' home and a unbroken family – _wanting_ was just another word for _wishing_, and in his experience wishes hardly _ever_ came true. No matter how hard you prayed, how hard you worked, or how good you were, they remained unattainable – like a mirage in the desert. Beautiful to look at, but when you tried to grasp them, they became like tiny grains of sand sifting through your fingers. As unstoppable as the hands of time, and with as much substance as a wisp of smoke, they always seemed to disappear, fading into nothingness with the faintest whisper of the wind.

No. What he _wanted_ to do and what he _needed_ to do were two completely separate things. Shaking his head to try and clear his pain-fogged mind, Jou forced himself to focus on _that_ – he would rest afterward. Rest…and grieve for yet another wish that had become nonexistent, vanishing silently into the darkness.

Clenching his teeth, the weary teen pushed himself onward, totally unaware of the hungry set of eyes that followed his every move with hawk-like precision, and not knowing that each step that he took was bringing him closer and closer to a perilous trap that his gentle heart and trusting mind could never have conceived of.

Watanabe's eyes trailed the struggling boy as he limped along, finding it easier to 'shadow' his movements now that he had ditched the car. The youth had surprised him earlier when he had left the main street and ducked into an alleyway – at first, he was sure that he had been spotted, but then had realized that the blond wasn't trying to evade _him_ at all, but someone else entirely. It brought a cruel smile to his face at how clueless the boy actually was. Hirotaka had been right – he was a 'borderline idiot' who, with all his 'good intentions', was almost guaranteeing their success.

And now that he was sure of the faltering teen's destination, he felt his pulse quicken with excitement – the way the pieces were falling neatly into place as if guided by 'unseen' hands came very close to making him want to chuckle out loud.

Twenty minutes later, from across the street, 'Bolts' watched from his hiding place behind a massive Cherry tree as Jounouchi half-walked, half-felt his way along the impressive stone wall that surrounded the teen billionaire's sizable estate, continuing his grueling journey to the front gates at a mind-numbing pace, his strength nearly spent and on the verge of total collapse. The dark-haired man frowned with concern, as he wondered to himself if the boy's father had taken a bit too much pleasure in 'punishing' his son the night before – after all, their entire scheme hinged on the blond being able to draw the younger Kaiba out of the mansion and getting him to open the gates, but if the boy never made it there, then all of their careful planning would have been for nothing.

He needn't have worried. It seemed as if 'luck' was, again, on their side. _That_ and the teen's strong will, or perhaps, sheer stubbornness, brought him to the graceful, black wrought-iron gates of the Kaiba Estate a few minutes later, and to the older man's immense surprise, the CEO's little brother was but twenty feet inside the twin gates, sitting on the deceptively pristine asphalt driveway, trying his best to free the leg of his jeans that was caught in the chain of the sleek, black ten-speed bike that his 'Oniisama' had purchased for him three weeks before, after stating with an air of finality, that the youngest Kaiba needed more exercise and fresh air and less time in front of the television playing video games.

Nothing the raven-haired boy could say had been able to change his brother's mind, which in the end, had turned out to be a good thing – the workaholic brunet had actually taken the day off to give his only sibling a 'refresher course' in the rules-of-the-road and bike safety – they had spent the day together, and had even had a picnic lunch at their favorite spot underneath the Cherry trees on the estate grounds, afterward lazily lounging on the blanket that they had brought, watching the clouds drift by in the warmth of the afternoon sun. All in all, it had been a glorious day, and one that the young boy would not soon forget.

However, at the moment, the 'mop-haired' preteen was _anything_ but pleased with his brother's 'gift', as it tried to devour his _very_ expensive, and _most_ favorite, pair of denims. 'Bolts' watched with cool amusement as a few seconds later the boy, with a mighty tug and the almost painful sound of ripping cloth, regained his freedom, tumbling backwards into the mulch-covered flowerbed that lined the drive. He couldn't help the smirk that twisted his lips as he saw the boy shoot back up almost immediately with a howl of despair and a sneeze, his smirk growing wider as the youth proceeded to kick at the bike with a now half-bare leg, the scowl of disgust on his face quickly erasing any doubt whatsoever as to whom he was related to.

It was at this instant that the blond caught the younger boy's attention. Grabbing onto the gates for support as he used his last shred of willpower to keep his trembling and badly overexerted body standing, Jou blinked furiously, just barely able to make out through his bleary vision the look of absolute shock and horror that flew across the other boy's face, his already wide gray eyes widening even further as his startled brain registered what his eyes were seeing. Then, before the honey-eyed teen had the chance to take a breath and give a word of warning, he saw the younger boy scramble to the side, disappearing for a split-second behind the wall, his reemergence coinciding with the sudden movement of the imposing gates as they began to slowly open with a creak and a heavy groan.

With almost a look of rapture on his face, Watanabe watched their progress as if it were the opening of the 'Gates of Heaven', and then, his eyes narrowing, he made his move while both boys were distracted and the street was bare of any possible witnesses.

Retrieving the switchblade that he had hidden in his jacket, he crossed the street with the speed and grace of a prowling leopard, appearing behind the blond-haired youth as if out of thin air, and before either could react, managed to roughly pull the badly-dazed teen, along with himself, into the now vulnerable enclosure, eliciting an instant cry of pain from the amber-eyed boy and one of surprise and stark terror from the other.

Drawing the razor-sharp blade against his defenseless captive's throat, and pinning the sibling of his most-hated enemy with eyes that were strangely filled with fire and as cold as ice at the same time, Watanabe gave his instructions in a voice whose underlying tone promised the gravest consequences for any hesitation or disobedience. "Be quiet and close the gates – and don't try anything foolish or you friend here will pay the price – understand?"

Blinking back tears, the smaller of the two boys nodded and did as ordered, quickly returning to stand in his original spot, his anxious, fear-filled eyes coming to rest on the taller youth's pain-twisted face in dismay. He could tell that Jounouchi was in no shape to fight back – even if the man who held him had not been armed with a weapon, he doubted that his friend had any strength left for anything more than keeping himself upright and breathing. The youngest Kaiba felt the tears he had been holding back threatening to spill, his bottom lip beginning to quiver dangerously as the realization struck of just how much trouble both he and the older boy were really in – Jou _couldn't_ do anything, _he_ didn't know _what_ to do, and the only thought that seemed to be ringing clearly in his panic-stricken mind was actually more of a half-wish and half-prayer – he was _terrified_, he _wanted_ his big brother, and he wanted him _NOW_.

Seto Kaiba snarled in disgust. It was his _sixth_ try and he still couldn't come up with anything even close to a halfway decent result – the program on his desktop personal computer, as he had feared, just wasn't advanced enough to cleanup much of the photograph's distortion – why he kept trying made no logical sense, and yet, he found himself unwilling, if not unable, to stop.

He had scanned and downloaded the photograph earlier - waiting for the repairs to the other system to be completed and not being able to do anything 'constructive' was grating on his nerves – now, he sat with the original in front of him, a deep frown on his face as his cool blue eyes darted back and forth between it and its computerized 'twin', the black-and-white figure's identity, except for the fact of it being male, still as indistinguishable as before. However, there were things that could be easily recognized in the photograph, such as a mailbox, a fire hydrant and a street lamp – not because their images were any clearer, but because of the familiar shape of the objects that one saw countless times a day on almost every street corner – being able to see minute 'details' really wasn't necessary for the brain to decipher what the items were; it did so automatically, with no difficulty at all, and without a second thought. But there was something else about the photo that pulled at him – something that bothered him about the picture's out-of-focus and grainy image…

Allowing his gaze to drift to the 'figure' itself, Kaiba's frown deepened even further as he analyzed it for what already seemed like the millionth time that morning, the stress and strain on his overworked eyes causing his vision to blur a bit as it came to rest on the right forearm of the man who was the photograph's main subject.

And that's when the realization hit him like a sudden slap in the face, that what looked to the naked eye like nothing more than a fuzzy 'smudge', and what the detective had said was probably an imperfection in the film, could actually be something else. It wasn't logical, and it made no sense, but somehow he _knew_ that he was right, and he knew that he had seen that unusual shape somewhere before; the question was _WHERE_?

Closing his eyes in concentration, the teen CEO was rewarded a couple of minutes later as a vague memory forced itself to the surface from deep within his detail-driven and highly-compartmentalized brain – a memory that caused those same eyes to snap open with a look of horrified disbelief as a spiral of fear curled itself around his suddenly rapidly beating heart, then worked its way down to settle like a lead weight in the pit of his stomach. NO…it wasn't possible…

Learning forward, his strong hands shaking slightly, the brunet reached for his computer keyboard, his long, slender fingers dancing across its surface at a frantic pace as he searched for the confirmation to his worst nightmare, freezing as the damnable image almost immediately popped up to fill the screen, making him feel as if the gods were, for their own perverse delight, mocking both him and his stupidity. Why he had ever believed that he was finally rid of those snakes-in-the-grass was beyond him – it seemed that they were destined to be a curse that he would be forced to continue to carry forever on his heavily-burdened shoulders, along with all the other 'garbage' that his adoptive father had left behind.

The undeniable truth stared back at him, this time with crystal clarity, _and_ in color. It was copy of the company 'newsletter' from a little over a year before. The photograph that took up nearly half the first page had been taken when the 'Big Five' were still in power, during a 'after-hours' party at the main headquarters that was being held in celebration of Kaiba Corporation's opening of its first branch office in Pakistan. All the employees who had worked on the project had been invited – there had been plenty of food, dancing and drinking, so by the time the picture was taken, most of the male employees had removed their jackets and ties, and some had even rolled up the sleeves of their dress shirts, as the room full of people, the alcohol and the merriment had combined together to make them a bit too warm for the occasion.

The picture itself showed the employees gathered around a delicately decorated cake, with the two project leaders, one male and one female, each holding a knife in opposite hands and grinning broadly, poised and ready to 'slice and serve' the artistic creation to their fellow 'revelers'.

And there on the male's right arm, was what the youngest chairman in Kaiba Corporation history had been looking for – and hoping desperately _not_ to find…

He was right. It _was_ a TATTOO.

Reading the caption underneath the photo, he felt his stomach lurch as his eyes ran over the letters that together formed a name – a name that he _knew_. The man had been the last employee fired after the 'Big Five' fiasco and the investigation that followed. While it was true that, as the 'survivor' of the failed company takeover he had sought out those employees that were related to the board members, contrary to what many believed, that in-and-of itself was _not_ a sufficient reason for dismissal. All of those fired had been guilty of something in addition – ranging from knowing of illegal activities and not reporting them, all the way up to selling confidential company information for personal profit – this man had been no exception. In truth, he and a few others had gotten off rather lightly – the evidence that they had found of their 'indiscretions' had not been solid enough to push for criminal charges. The best he had been able to do as CEO, to keep anyone else from finding themselves a victim of the underhanded tactics that seemed to be a trait of the board members 'tainted bloodline' and gnarled 'family trees', was to put a warning out to the business community through 'private' channels, that no matter how brilliant, hiring them was a dangerous gamble, that in the end, was bound to cost more than they were worth. The business community at large had apparently agreed – not one was hired, and since the information had been spread by word-of-mouth, its 'source' was untraceable, although he was sure that the smarter ones amongst the 'ex-employees' would have no trouble figuring out what had happened.

Staring at the picture imprisoned on the computer screen, the blue-eyed brunet felt his blood run cold as his mind began to fit the disjointed pieces of the 'puzzle' together, ticking them off one-by-one, in a macabre count-down to what, he was sure, could only be a disastrous conclusion.

The man in the photo was related to a member of the 'Big Five'.

Kaiba had fired him, and by doing so, effectively ruined his career.

He knew Jounouchi's father.

Jounouchi knew Kaiba.

AND…

The teen's cerulean eyes widened, his face draining of all color as the last piece fell into place with all the subtlety of the slamming of an iron door in the center of the deepest, dankest dungeon imaginable.

Jounouchi also knew MOKUBA…

瀬戸城が好き

Arata Yoshida watched the security monitor that was linked to 'camera one' with a troubled heart, his soft brown eyes clearly showing his deep torment and the indescribable guilt weighing on his shoulders at what he was about to do – not like he could do anything to stop it. The thirty-two year-old brushed his brown hair back with a trembling hand and a remorseful sigh. He had worked for Kaiba Corporation for ten years – three of them here at the mansion as one of the guards in charge of security for the main house and the surrounding grounds. And, unlike many of his 'cohorts', he did _not_ dislike the new, teenaged CEO of the company. In truth, he thought that he was an amazing individual; and his raven-haired sibling reminded him of his own little brother in a wide variety of ways – both beliefs only served to make the situation in which he found himself all the more painful.

He had known for a long time that he had a problem – he was a 'compulsive' gambler, and he had the debt to prove it – but he was also trying to deal with it. He had gone for help, joined a support group, and changed his 'lifestyle'. He was doing well and had begun to actually believe that there was hope – until 'they' had approached him, demanding payment-in-full – or else. Threats to himself, he could deal with. But then, they had threatened _his_ little brother…

They were cold, calculating and ruthlessly efficient. They had left him no way out. It came down to Kaiba's brother…or his own.

"May God forgive me…" he whispered as, with a shaking hand, he reached out and hit the 'eject' button on the VCR that recorded from 'camera one', removing the tape that held the evidence of the events of a few minutes before; and then, as his pained dark eyes moved back to the monitor, and he saw the three figures start down the long asphalt drive towards the main house, he began to turn off each of the other five recorders in sequence, turning them back on as soon as the tiny group moved out of the corresponding camera's range. Only a minute or so would be missing from each tape, except for the first one, which would 'conveniently' disappear, just as he would. That was the price he would be forced to pay for being a 'flawed' human being – for giving in to his weakness – and one he was _willing _to pay to protect someone that meant more to him than his own life.

If he was lucky, God _might_ forgive him one day - and if he lived long enough, maybe, just maybe, _he_ would even be able to forgive _himself_. But he was absolutely _certain _of one thing - even though he knew that Seto Kaiba would _NEVER_ forgive him, he was sure that he _would_ understand his reason for doing what he had.

The knowledge didn't do anything to ease his soul.

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**Chapter Thirteen** has been completed! Boy, this one was a 'bear' to write! Both my car and myself have been 'under the weather', and with work, too…this one was a bit 'delayed'. My apologies!

Anyway, until next time, thanks for reading! Ja Ne!


	15. Ch 14 Secrets Revealed

**Disclaimer: **All right – by now, everyone-and-their-mother should know that I do **NOT** own Yu-Gi-Oh, and if they still think that there's a chance I do, they're living in a bigger (and infinitely better) 'fantasy world' that I am! Enough said!

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**Chapter Fourteen "Secrets Revealed"**

Suichi sighed. Things were _so _not going well.

It wasn't like it was anything he didn't know – traffic on Saturdays in downtown Domino was always terrible, and he _should_ have taken that into account – but his mind had still been focusing on the events of the past few days, and when he had gotten the call from Tanaka inviting him to a 'working' lunch, it hadn't dawned on him to adjust for it. So, he had left his apartment in what he thought was plenty of time, only to find himself caught in the middle of the regular weekend traffic 'jam'.

It got worse.

He had been trapped in his car, fuming, as two 'idiots' at a four-way intersection, who at first hadn't been able to decide which one of them had the right-of-way, and had then _both_ decided at the same time that it was _their_ turn, had the audacity to stand outside of their cars arguing about whose fault the resulting fender-bender was, while they snarled traffic even further and sent everyone else's blood pressure soaring.

Thirty minutes later, he had pulled into the parking lot of the small restaurant that served a combination of 'specialty' pizzas and various Italian pastas, with his head pounding and his appetite almost non-existent. What had happened next had only confirmed the southerly direction in which his day was heading. Reaching down to turn off the ignition, he had watched in utter disbelief as a plume of blackish smoke began to billow out from underneath the hood of his car that smelled like a noxious mixture of warm motor oil and burning rubber. The twenty-five year-old had groaned and rested his throbbing forehead against the steering wheel, wondering what it was about the equation of 'teacher's salary' equals 'no money to spare' that the Fates, in their questionable wisdom, had decided to ignore. Or maybe, they had just taken a strong disliking to him – he wasn't quite sure which.

About the time that he had decided that maybe leaving his personal 'junk pile' there in the parking lot and catching a bus home was the best idea – after all, he could call the detective on the phone with his 'apologies', seeing as he really didn't want to look him in the eye and try to explain what had happened, and that he had been sitting in the parking lot of their designated 'meeting place' for the last twenty minutes feeling sorry for himself – there had come a light tapping on his driver's side window, and he had looked up into Tanaka's smirking face.

Now, rolling down his window with some reluctance, he growled as the older man's smirk widened, a devilish twinkle lighting his steel-gray eyes.

"Do we have a problem here?" Tanaka asked mildly, looking as if he were going to burst into laughter at any moment.

Suichi's eyes narrowed dangerously, daring him silently to do so, a sickly sweet smile resting on his lips as he answered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Whatever gave you THAT idea?"

One dark eyebrow rose. "The smoke was a good clue." The other answered smoothly, one corner of his mouth quirking upward. "You do know that the exhaust is supposed to come out of the BACK of the car, right?"

Suichi's green eyes drew into tiny slits as he frowned up at the detective. "_Jerk_…" That was the extent of his spoken reply, although other things were running unchecked through his mind. The dark-haired man merely chuckled good-naturedly.

"If you're through feeling sorry for yourself…" Tanaka's smirk became a full-blown grin at the look of amazed disbelief on the younger man's face, and he continued with great amusement, "…then might I suggest that you come inside – I'm hungry, even if you're not – and we have a lot to go over."

瀬戸城が好き

Seto snarled as he slammed the phone down, his clenched jaw white with anger, his usually cool blue eyes unable to hide the frustration and the fear that was gnawing at his insides. No one was answering in the security room of the mansion. What was worse, Mokuba was not picking up on his personal cell phone – the one that he carried with him at all times, even when at home. He was NEVER without it.

It had been the compromise that the brothers had come to after the problems with Pegasus and the 'Big Five' – an alternative to the preteen being saddled with having to deal with a twenty-four hour-a-day bodyguard, which was what Seto had been making arrangements for when, by a fluke, Mokuba had overheard his conversation with his Chief of Security. The boy had immediately gone into hysterics at the notion of being under a 'microscope' even more than he already was on a daily basis - an unpleasant necessity of their life, owing to the fact that he was the brother of one of the world's richest and most powerful businessmen. After much arguing and haggling, the CEO had, begrudgingly, acquiesced to the younger Kaiba's pleas, and between them the 'phone' idea had been born, with Mokuba swearing to his brother that it would be as attached to him as one of his own arms or legs. Knowing the consequences of not following through, namely 'it' being replaced by said bodyguard, not to mention having to face his brother's scathing wrath, the elder Kaiba was sure that it was a promise that he would never _willingly_ break, which could mean only one thing – something, or someone, was preventing him from answering.

And if that were the case, it meant that someone had managed to get inside the compound – not an impossible task, but not an easy one, either. All deliveries or services to be rendered to the main house or the surrounding grounds were checked by his personal staff at the back gate, and then checked again before access was allowed to the mansion itself – the employees in charge of that were hand-picked by him and totally trustworthy. He highly doubted that they, whoever 'they' were, had gotten in that way.

The brunet frowned. No one came in the front gates unless they were granted entry by himself or Mokuba – and that would only happen if it was a 'business associate' that he was expecting, or someone that they knew personally. That was an iron-clad rule – the few employees that had forgotten or ignored it had found themselves fired in the blink-of-an-eye. Mokuba meant more to him than anything, even the company that he had sacrificed so much to build – and he was _not_ about to risk his safety because of incompetence or out-and-out stupidity.

So, if someone _had_ gotten through, it could only be because Mokuba had opened the gates – which brought his thoughts straight back to Jounouchi. His brother had always liked the blond – and would seemingly do anything for him, even if it meant standing up to his big brother to defend the deceptively 'carefree' adolescent; so if _he_ had shown up at the gates, Mokuba wouldn't have given a second thought to breaching security. After all, Jounouchi was a friend - right?

A _friend_…

Seto growled under his breath, refusing to admit to himself just how scared he really was. And not just for his brother, but also for the amber-eyed youth that he had been learning more and more about over the past few months. The physical abuse that he was suffering through was bad enough, but he was being _used_ in even worse ways by those around him – the people involved in this, the boy's father included, were a whole lot stronger, smarter, cunning, devious and _ruthless_ than the soft-hearted teen was equipped to deal with. The stoic CEO was sure that Jounouchi had come to the same basic conclusion, albeit with a great deal more effort; to be sure, a genius, he wasn't, but he was also _not _an idiot, as the icy-eyed teen had realized through careful observation. However, being caught up in circumstances beyond his control, he had probably been trying to help in the only way that he knew how…

"Stupid 'mutt'…" he muttered to no one in particular, "…you couldn't leave well-enough alone, could you? You see what happens when you care _too_ much – people use it against you – and it's always the ones that you should be able to trust the most." He grimaced at the old, familiar, and uncomfortable, feelings his all-too-revealing words evoked. The brunet shook his head. He had no time for a walk down 'memory lane'. What to do?

Coming to a decision, he again reached for the phone, hitting the 'speed dial'. The call was answered on one ring and he began speaking almost before the other had a chance. "This is Kaiba…_We_ have a problem."

瀬戸城が好き

Jounouchi groaned, wishing whatever it was that was trying to rouse him would just go away and leave him to his misery. Gods, how his head ached! It felt as if a whole crew of demolition experts were inside his skull trying to take apart his brain piece by piece – the jack-hammering making it almost impossible to concentrate on the strange, muffled sounds trying to force their way into his consciousness – and if it wasn't for the nagging little 'gremlin' from somewhere deep in the back of his slowly disappearing mind telling him _not_ to ignore them, he would have done just that. But even as the pounding grew more painful, the sounds grew louder, and suddenly, they became recognizable words, uttered by a very familiar voice – frantic, beseeching and tear-filled, it pulled the exhausted youth back from the brink of darkness, and as awareness slowly returned, so did the memories of the past few hours, hazy though they were.

"Jounouchi…! Please, wake up! Please! You have to wake up _now_!"

Fighting against the pain, the blond forced his eyes open only to close them again quickly – the light in the room making his head spin, a nauseous feeling rising in the back of his throat. He decided with little hesitation that moving was _not _a good idea at the moment, so instead he used his voice to try and comfort the halfway sobbing boy clinging to him – at least, as much as he was able.

"It's all right, Mokuba. I'm awake. Where are we?"

The younger boy sniffled, asking in a startled voice, "Don't you remember?" Then, abruptly realizing what he had really meant, added, "We're in Seto's bedroom."

"Are ya okay? Yer not hurt, are ya?" Jou cautiously tried opening his eyes again, slower this time, giving them time to adjust to the light in the room, which to his surprise, wasn't as bright as he had first thought.

The raven-haired youth uttered a short, nervous, watery laugh. "No, I'm not hurt. But you're one to ask. You look like sh…"

"Watch it!" Jou cut him off with a mock-growl before he could finish, eliciting another wavering laugh from the boy. That was good – he seemed to be calming down and that could only help their situation. Besides, he was scared enough for the both of them – even if he knew better than to let the other know it at the moment - scared, and riddled with guilt at his stupidity. It had been a trap and he had walked right into it. The painful truth lanced at his heart, burning its way into the very core of his being. He had been used – yet, again. But this – _this_ was the ULTIMATE betrayal – and Jounouchi finally understood to the very depths of his soul how insignificant and meaningless he was in his father's eyes – how little he counted. It really shouldn't have been a surprise. So, why did it hurt so much?

"Jou…? Are…are you okay?" Mokuba's voice was quiet, his gray eyes soft as he studied the older boy with concern.

"Yeah, kid. Why ya askin?"

"Because…you're crying..." He whispered back, reaching over and gently brushing away a tear from the blonde's cheek. "Don't worry – my brother will save us. He'll be sure to come for us."

_No – You. _Seto will come for _you_. _You're_ the one that matters. The thought drifted through Jou's mind, the knowledge settling like a fog around his heart. Out loud he said, "I'm fine. My head hurts, dat's all." It wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie, either.

"We're locked in, but I can get a wet towel for your head and some water from Seto's bathroom so you can take some aspirin, if you want me to. It might help."

"T'anks, kid. Den ya need ta tell me what happened, cause things are a little fuzzy, ya know?"

"Okay – be right back!"

Mokuba wanted to help. And if he kept busy, he was more likely to remain calm, and that would give Jou the time he needed to think. The teen sighed. Then, if he was lucky, maybe, just maybe, he could figure out how to get the kid out of harm's way before things got any worse; if things _could _get worse.

He should have known better than to tempt Fate.

瀬戸城が好き

The detective straightened up from the car with a frown, reaching into his jacket pocket for his ringing cell phone as he watched Suichi's eyebrows rise in silent question.

Flipping it open, he answered somewhat curtly. "Tanaka." Then, moving away from the car, his features became more and more troubled with each passing second and with every word spoken by whoever it was that was on the other end of the line. "Are you SURE about all of this? I see…"

Suichi felt the hair on the nape of his neck rise. Something had happened – he was sure of it – and it wasn't _good_. He could tell by the other man's facial expression and body language that whatever it was, it was serious – make that _very_ serious – and he knew without a doubt that it involved Jounouchi. The frustration that had been building within the brown-haired man the last few days finally hit the breaking point and he found himself out of his car and grasping at Tanaka's shoulder before he even had time to think of the possible consequences to his action. "What's happened? And who the HELL are you talking to?" He demanded, ignoring the other man's shocked expression, "Tell me what's going on!"

Instead of answering Suichi, the detective's reply was directed to the person on the phone. "I understand. Yes, it's one of his teachers. That's right. Are you sure? Okay, I'm leaving now." With that, he closed the cell phone with a snap, slipping it back into his pocket, eying the younger man with a frown.

Suichi felt his face grow hot as he realized what he'd done. "Sorry." He mumbled, "I just…" he paused, taking a deep breath, "…I just want to help."

Tanaka sighed. "I'm afraid that 'lunch' will have to be rescheduled." His eyes softened at the look of chagrin on the teacher's face. "_We_ have somewhere that we have to be…" he stopped, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as the man's green eyes widened in surprise, "…that is, if you're still interested and you really want to help."

The other nodded quickly. "Are you sure it's okay?"

The detective smirked. "It was the client's specific request that I bring you along, so yes – I think it's okay." He added, eyes twinkling. "We'll take my car, if that's all right with you."

"Smart ass…" Suichi grumbled under his breath as he followed meekly behind the cockily grinning sleuth to his 'two-seater'. "We can't _all_ be 'James Bond'."

"That's 'Sherlock Holmes' to you, 'Miss Money-penny'." Tanaka threw back over his shoulder without skipping a beat, causing the younger man to growl.

"_Asshole_…"

瀬戸城が好き

"Here, Jou." Mokuba knelt, setting the small, cut-crystal glass of water down carefully on the plush, cobalt-blue carpet by the prone blond's side, and then proceeded to gently place the cold compress he had also brought on the older boy's throbbing forehead. "This should help some." He smiled weakly, the worry filling his gray eyes as the teen mumbled his thanks. "Are you sure you're going to be all right? You really don't look too good." He paused, and then continued softly. "He hit you pretty hard. I'm sorry…it's all my fault."

_Hit_ me? Jounouchi frowned. What did he mean? "What do ya mean? Who hit me?" He questioned, confusion lacing his words. He turned his head to the side at the younger boy's soft gasp, his hand coming up to hold the compress secure as he opened his eyes again to search Mokuba's dismayed face.

"You really _don't_ remember, do you?"

"Uh…fraid not. Care ta fill me in?"

Mokuba sighed, his head dropping forward until his eyes all but disappeared, hidden by his wild, jet-black tresses. "You were protecting me. We had just made it into the main foyer. After I locked the door, he let you go. You were leaning against the wall for support." He paused. "I…I 'smarted' off." His head snapped up, his eyes full of trust and the absolute belief that he held in the words that he had spoken earlier to their captor. "I told him that he was going to be sorry…that when my brother got through with him, he was going to rue the day that he had been born…" Then, a flash of guilt crossed his face, and he winced. "He went 'ballistic'. When he came after me, you managed to grab onto him, but he flipped you around somehow and hit you in the back of the head with something _really_, _really_ hard. After that, he threw us in here." He finished the story almost in a whisper. "I was getting really scared. I couldn't get you to wake up…and I didn't know what to do…"

Jou sighed, and then smiled over at the boy. "Well, I'm awake now. And yer doin fine, kid. Yer brother would be proud of da way ya stood up ta dat creep – " he smirked, then added as an afterthought, "Den, he'd probably box yer ears for doin somthin so dangerous as pissing off yer kidnapper, on _purpose_, no less."

Mokuba snickered, and then shook his head. "Nope – he'd box _your_ ears for not _stopping_ me."

The blond couldn't help but to chuckle darkly. He was probably right – he would get the blame, no matter what happened. Win, lose or draw – it didn't matter. It was his fault Mokuba was in this mess, and even if he got him out of it, intact and unharmed, that wouldn't change – nor would the fact that it was _his_ father and his father's 'friend' who had planned it. 'Guilt by association' – wasn't that what they called it? Or was it the 'sins of the father'? He wasn't sure – maybe they _both_ applied.

"How long have I been 'out'?"

The younger boy shrugged slightly. "I'm not really sure – maybe a couple of hours, tops." He frowned, his face flushing a bit. "I guess you think I'm pretty stupid, huh…I mean…I'm acting like a big baby…"

Jou's eyebrow rose. "Whatever gave ya dat idea? If ya ask me, yer actin more grown up dan most grownups I know. Besides, dis is one 'big pickle' wer in – it's gonna take da both of us ta figure a way out of dis – but for right now, I t'ink we'd better lay low until we know for sure exactly what wer up against. After all, don't ya have a security system here?"

Gray eyes blinked, then widened. "Yeah, we do! We have someone that monitors the grounds 'twenty-four seven', but…"

"No alarms went off." Jou grimaced as a sharp pain settled behind his eyes.

Mokuba shook his head. "Uh uh…what do you think that means?"

The blond looked at the raven-haired boy intently, trying to decide how much, and exactly _what_, to tell him. After all, he was his friend...right? And this _was_ Seto, his much beloved brother, that these people were after – so, he deserved to know the whole truth, or at least as much of it as _he_ knew. But what would he think about _him_ once he found out what was really going on?

"Well, it could mean one of two t'ings – one, da guy watchin da place was put out of commission, or…"

"…He was in on the whole thing from the start." Mokuba finished for him.

_He's a smart kid._ "Yeah…" Jounouchi paused, and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "But dat's not da worst of it, Mokuba." He spoke the words softly, dreading the other boy's reaction, but no longer willing to back away from the truth or his responsibility in it. "Der's something else ya need ta know, and it ain't pretty – and after I tell ya, well…" He stopped, trying hard to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat. This was _tough_. Friends were treasured things that he didn't like losing.

"What is it, Jou?" The younger boy prodded gently, his concern showing just as much in his voice as on his face. "You can tell me anything. We're _friends_, remember?"

The blond shot the boy a grateful glance, tears beginning to form in his amber eyes. "T'anks, Mokuba. But, maybe ya had better wait until ya hear what I have ta say – ya might want to change yer mind."

瀬戸城が好き

Suichi gaped in disbelief as Tanaka put the car in park and turned off the ignition, pocketing the keys. They had been silent most of the trip – the detective lost in thought and Suichi intent on trying to figure out their destination as they made their way through the business district – but never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that they would end up HERE. Looking over at his ebony-haired companion in wide-eyed amazement, he uttered his questions with his _usual_ tact and grace. "Your 'client' works at Kaiba Corporation? What, is he _crazy_?"

Tanaka's eyebrow disappeared into his hairline. "Meaning _what_, exactly?"

The younger man frowned. "I happen to know from personal experience that Seto Kaiba and Katsuya Jounouchi do _not _get along – they're _both_ my students, remember? If your 'client' works here, and Seto Kaiba finds out – " Suddenly, the brown-haired male froze as he took note of the 'knowing' smirk on the other man's face. "You're not going to tell me…"

"Come on." The detective exited the sports car with an easy grace, a bemused expression on his face. "We don't want to be late."

Mokuba sat, wide-eyed and speechless, as Jounouchi's voice faded into silence. He _had_ to stop – he was no longer able to force the words past the enormous lump in his throat. The lump that almost threatened to choke him as he waited for a reaction – ANY reaction – from the younger boy to the horrible truths that he had just disclosed. Even _hatred _would be better than the blank stare he was the focus of at the moment. After all, he was used to dealing with that, especially from a 'certain' Kaiba – but this _lack_ of emotion was unnerving. The blond could almost see the mental 'gears' turning as the hyperactive boy remained rock-still, his gray eyes fastened on the older boy with an intensity that became more and more disconcerting, until Jou was finally forced to look away in extreme discomfort. He had to admit that it was an admirable imitation of the older Kaiba's trademark 'glare' – at least, he thought that was what it was, until he felt a sudden warmth by his side and heard a soft voice whispering gently in his ear, "It's not _your _fault, Jou. You can't help what your father does, anymore than Seto could help what Gozaboro did…"

瀬戸城が好き

Yuugi hung up the phone, a deep frown marring his gentle features, his large lavender eyes unable to hide his distress from the despondent group sitting in the living room in the back of the Kame Game Shop, or from Yami who was keeping track of what was going on from his 'soul room' in the Millennium Puzzle. Being that the Pharaoh had learned to create a solid body for short periods of time with the help of the magic that had been hidden away in its confusing depths, it was a little disappointing – normally, he would have made an 'appearance' with the entire gang being present, but he had overtaxed himself a bit the night before trying to comfort his 'light' who had been plagued with horrible nightmares – nightmares that pertained to a certain blond best friend whom no one had seen or been able to contact since the end of school on Friday. That was the reason that they had gathered together – it hadn't started out as the plan, but as one-by-one they had talked to each other, their unease and desperation had grown as the realization had hit them that their friend seemed to have vanished into 'thin air'. The only ones other than Jounouchi that they hadn't been able to reach were Mokuba and Kaiba – not because they hadn't tried, but because of the fact that, even when told that it was an emergency, Kaiba's secretary had refused to put them through. Finally, on the third try, Honda had lost it, yelling at the woman, telling her that if that _asshole _didn't answer the phone, that he was going to _personally _to come down there and remove the stick he had shoved up a certain part of his anatomy and then beat him over the head with it until he came down from his _ivory tower _to dwell amongst the _'rest of us mortals'_. No one was sure why Honda was calling Kaiba in the first place, given their history; and no one dared ask.

Needless to say, _that_ had not helped matters much – Ryou had quickly grabbed the phone and, using the sweetest voice he could muster, had apologized profusely in his soft British accent, and then had even managed to convince her to, at least, relay a message as to why it was that they were calling. In the meantime, Anzu, Yuugi and Otogi had tried their best to sooth a very upset and livid Honda, who had proceeded to pace the floor like a madman while calling Kaiba every filthy name he could think of, including some Otogi was sure that he had made up on the spot. After about the fourth one, Yuugi's eyes had grown so large that they looked as if they were trying to take over his entire face, which had taken on the color of the prettiest cherry-red tomato one could imagine.

It wasn't until the white-haired boy had murmured his thanks to the now placated 'administrative assistant' and ended the call that the enraged pointy-haired teen had deflated like a run-away balloon, collapsing onto the sofa with a muffled groan of frustration – not that any of the others could really blame him for his little 'tantrum'. In truth, they all felt the same way – even Yami was fuming at the seemingly inhuman callousness of the icy-eyed CEO – which was why the message that Ryou had for them had been all the more shocking, and had caught them all off-guard.

"Kaiba's secretary, her name's Carol, by the way – said that, and this is verbatim - 'Mr. Kaiba sends his apologies. He can't speak with you right now, but he would appreciate it if all of you would meet him at his office at Kaiba Headquarters in approximately one hour's time. It's of the utmost urgency.'" He had paused, his chocolate-brown eyes reflecting the same confusion he saw in all of his friend's faces. "I said we'd be there – I hope that was all right…"

It was at that point that Yuugi had decided to try Jou's number again, hoping against hope that maybe _this_ time the blond would answer. Now, as he placed the phone back onto its base and turned to face his silent friends, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

It was Anzu that broke the silence. "We'd better go if we're going to get to Kaiba's on time, don't you think?"

Honda glared at her, and then huffed. "Yeah, I suppose. We can take the van if you want – my dad doesn't need it back until Monday."

"That's fine by me." Otogi swiftly agreed, relieved that the brown-haired youth had finally calmed down, "I'll just leave my car here and pick it up later."

Ryou glanced back, intending to inquire after his smaller friend. "Yuugi…?" It was then that they all realized that it was no longer Yuugi standing behind them, but Yami – the expression of unshakable determination on the former Pharaoh's face sending a collective chill down the group's spine. It was an expression that they were all too familiar with, and they could see the quickly building anger burning in his almost blood-red eyes.

"Let's go see Kaiba and find out what the _Hell_ is going on – and what he knows about what's happened to Jou."

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**Chapter Fourteen**! My apologies that it's taken so long! I've been sick, my car's been sick (and the mechanics have been on strike!) plus, I don't own a computer – I write this in long-hand, type and spell-check it at work (on MY time, I'll have you know – before, after and on lunch break) and download it. So, I'll try very hard to update every 2 to 3 weeks, but I can't make a rock-solid promise. But, I WILL finish this (I know where it's going, and how it's going to end) unless my computer blows up or 'they' ban me from the net! Stay tuned! Ja Ne!


	16. Ch 15 Convergence

**Disclaimer: **I do **NOT** own Yu-Gi-Oh. Sometimes life just 'sucks', you know?

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**Chapter Fifteen "Convergence"**

Tanaka stood in Kaiba's private elevator, pretending to watch the numbers change as they passed each floor while really watching Suichi fidget nervously out of the corner of his eye. He merely smirked when the younger man caught him at it, his eyes tracing the rather attractive blush that spilled across the bridge of the teacher's nose and both cheeks as he mumbled something along the lines of "not liking elevators" just as they came to a sudden stop and the doors slid open. Suichi was standing in the hall almost before the detective could blink, his flushed face darkening as Tanaka followed his path out of the 'lift' with a long-legged grace, his bluish-gray eyes dancing with mirth as he posed his one-word question. "Claustrophobic?"

"_No_." The green-eyed man huffed, leaning back against the fabric-covered wall as he stared defiantly at the detective standing in front of him, who it seemed was not going to move until he got a more definitive explanation. After a few seconds, Suichi sighed in surrender. "I was trapped in one once – okay?"

"Really…? For how long…?"

"Two days. It was during a 'blackout'. It wasn't fun."

"I'll bet." The older man said with wry amusement. "Granted, two days is a long time…" he paused, one eyebrow rising slightly, "…which brings up an interesting question…" He was cut off before he could finish.

"Before you ask – _don't_. There are some things that one does in desperate situations that should remain private – you'll just have to use your imagination."

Tanaka grinned wickedly. "I have one Hell of an imagination, I'll have you know." He retorted easily, as he started down the empty hallway toward Kaiba's office, the other falling in step behind him knowing full well that he hadn't heard the last on the unpleasant topic.

"Yeah, I just bet YOU do."

瀬戸城が好き

_'It's not your fault, Jou. You can't help what your father does, anymore than Seto could help what Gozaboro did…'_

Mokuba's words bounced their way around his brain like one of those cheap hard rubber balls kids got out of vending machines for a quarter at the local grocery store. But no matter which way they went, he had to admit that what the kid had said was only partially true – after all, even though it had taken a lot of work and stealth, Seto had forced his adoptive father out of office and taken over his company, putting a stop to Gozaboro's insane desires of a world-at-war for power and profit, while at the same time protecting his little brother. And he had been younger than Jou was right now when he had done so.

_That_ took courage. Courage, strength of will, determination and a belief in one's self.

Of course, the ten million in cash hadn't hurt.

Lying there in Seto's bedroom, on Seto's carpet with Seto's brother curled up against him, Jou wondered if he had courage like that hidden somewhere deep inside. He had thought so once, back during 'Duelist's Kingdom'. Still, if he was being honest with himself, the truth was that it had been Yuugi who had really won the money for Shizuka's operation by defeating Pegasus, and not Jou. The only thing that had eased the sting of his loss was the fact that it _was_ Yuugi that he had lost to. If it had been anyone else, he would have never been able to live with himself. Then again, he had never expected Yuugi to turn over the cash prize to him the way that he had – three million dollars was a lot of money to hand over to someone, best friend or not, without expecting anything in return – and yet, Yuugi had done it without a second thought. It was because of his compassion and selflessness that everyone had come out 'winners' that day, including Seto and Mokuba, who had been freed from Pegasus's control at the same time as Yuugi's grandfather.

Of course, in the end, the blond had had to admit, at least to himself, that he just didn't have the skill or experience to go all the way, no matter how badly he might have wanted to.

But he had, at least, tried. That surely had to count for something – right?

Jou sighed softly. He always seemed to be 'trying' – and coming up short, as Kaiba was always quick to point out. It was ironic – Kaiba seemed to hate his adoptive father and his wealth and power, and yet, it was those very things that, shared with Seto, had been Gozaboro Kaiba's undoing. Jou wondered what the brunet would have done without that advantage. Would he have been able to break free of his adoptive father's grasp? Would he have even kept trying?

Despite pain and circumstance, the amber-eyed teen felt a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the question, already certain of the answer. Of course he would have, even if it were just to piss the old man off, or out of sheer stubbornness, or his absolute determination never to admit defeat. As long as he had Mokuba - his brother, his best friend, and confidant – he would _never_ give up. And he would never have need of – or _want_ – anyone else in his world. Why would he?

Trying to 'measure up' to the older boy's high standards and always failing had been heartrendingly painful and exhausting – the bottom line was that Jou no longer had the mental or emotional strength to try and conquer the rough-and-tumble psychological 'obstacle course' the scowling brunet forged to keep everyone at arm's length. But what was worse, and what was worrying him more at the moment, was the matter of his physical strength, and the knowledge that, once again, he was coming up short – and he was only getting weaker as time went on. Soon, he would be of no use to anyone – not that he was of much use now – but if he waited too much longer, he wouldn't even be able to try and save Mokuba, much less himself. And he _had_ to save Mokuba. He owed them both at least that. What happened to him afterward was in Fate's hands he supposed. He could just imagine the cerulean-eyed boy's reaction to _that_ notion. He knew from experience that, if there were a subject that Seto Kaiba hated _more_ than the possible existence of magic, it was idea of the existence of Fate, and being at the mercy of it. He felt another ghost of a smile brush his lips. If he didn't make it, he had to admit that, along with his sister and his friends, one of the things that he would miss most was Kaiba's almost laughable level of skepticism about things unseen. He had always found it sadly amusing how stupid Kaiba could be – considering that he was a 'genius', and all – about anything that dealt with believing in something that couldn't be explained by financial reports or computer logic. If he couldn't download it, tear it apart, rearrange it and put it back together again, it didn't exist. He could understand about the magic aspect, and even he would like to think that he had some control over how his life would eventually turn out; but there were other things just as, if not more important, that couldn't be seen, tabulated or filed on a disk that the stoic brunet was missing out on – laughter, friendship, love – unseen, intangible and unexplainable, they were still just as real as the thousands of bricks that the mansion that he was in right now was built of. Maybe one day, Kaiba would allow himself to experience them – for Mokuba's sake, if not for his own. He hoped so.

Scooting closer to the sleeping boy and drawing an arm around him protectively, Jou made a silent promise. In Seto's absence, he would do everything in his power to keep the boy safe and reunite him with his brother.

No matter what the cost, it was a promise he was determined that he would keep.

瀬戸城が好き

Seto Kaiba sat behind his desk waiting impatiently for a reaction – _any _reaction. Pinning the men in front of him with a cool gaze, he saw a deep frown etch itself into the handsome detective's face, the older man's sharp steel-gray eyes darkening as they took in every detail inscribed on the printed copy of the newsletter and its half-page photo the CEO had pulled from the company's computer archives. Handing the single page document to the brown-haired man sitting next to him, the frustration rolled off of Tanaka in waves, his lips pressing into a thin line as he contemplated this new development.

"Damn. I was afraid of something like this. This complicates matters – big time."

Suichi looked up from the paper he was holding, his brow furrowed in confusion as he glanced back and forth between the two men, hoping for an explanation. When none came, he voiced his immediate questions in as few words as possible. "What the _Hell _is going on? What does this mean? Just what are you _really_ investigating and how does Jounouchi and his father fit into the picture?" Before either of the two that the questions were directed toward could answer, there came the sound of a commotion outside in the hall and the door burst open, revealing a very bedraggled middle-aged woman with mousy brown hair and horn-rimmed glasses who was trying in vain to derail an equally as determined group of teenagers, led by one furious Yami, from interrupting the meeting already in progress. It was Honda, however, who actually pried the desperate woman's hands away from the door jamb to clear the way, but only after Yami, being the shortest one of the group, had already entered the room by ducking his way underneath the flesh-and-bone 'barrier' comprised of her two rather shaky arms without so much as a single word of apology. Now, he stood there, arms crossed chest-high, glaring at a certain CEO with eyes of crimson fire, as the others filed in behind him, past a red-faced and highly flustered secretary who could do nothing more that stutter her apologies as she tried to straighten out the now very rumpled gray business jacket and skirt that she was wearing.

"I – I'm s-sorry, Mr. Kaiba. I – I tried to s-stop them. I t-told them that you were b-busy and t-that they could w-wait in the lobby, but t-they…"

"It's all right, Carol. Bad manners aside, I _did_ ask them to come. Have you finished rearranging my calendar?"

"Yes, sir. Everything's either been rescheduled to next month or canceled until further notice, as you requested."

"Good. Then take the rest of the day off."

"S-sir…?" The glasses the woman was wearing made her already huge brown eyes look even larger than they really were as they widened in shock. He had often asked her to stay late to finish up a project, but _never_ had he ordered her to leave _early_ – fear that this was some sort of punishment or reprimand showed plainly in her eyes at this totally out-of-character behavior and she opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off by an explanation delivered in a surprisingly gentle voice.

"Carol…something is happening that you don't need to be involved in. Go home…and stay there until I give you the 'all clear' – got it?" Kaiba watched as fear turned to concern.

"Are you going to be all right, sir? Is there something that I can do…"

"Go HOME. I'll be fine. And Carol…"

"Yes, sir…?"

"Lock the door on your way out."

"Yes, sir…!" Pulling the door closed behind her, she did as instructed, leaving the two groups staring at one another, neither really knowing how to begin. It was Honda who finally broke the strained silence.

"I never knew that you were so _caring_ about your employees, 'Rich Boy'." The sarcasm in his voice did nothing to hide his dislike of the other youth, or his fury at whatever it was that he had gotten Jou mixed up in. Certain that it _had_ to be the 'pompous, self-enamored, cold-blooded and arrogant bastard's' fault, the hazel-eyed boy unconsciously took a step forward, fists clenched, only to be stopped by Yami, who laid his hand carefully on his shoulder, his touch not only drawing the pointy-haired teen's attention, but instantly bringing him to a standstill.

"Let's hear what he has to say before we do anything that we might regret, Honda." Then, locking his heated crimson gaze with the icy blue one directed at him, he continued, "All right, Kaiba. We came as requested. Why don't you try explaining what the _Hell_ is going on?"

瀬戸城が好き

Multiple sensations hit Jou's sleep-slowed brain so rapidly that it had virtually no time to form coherent thought, much less allow him to react to what was happening externally. It wasn't until the heavy boot connected with his chest the second time – forcing whatever breath that was left in his lungs to come out in an agonized 'whoosh' – that the searing pain left in its wake burned away enough of the heavy mist in his mind to allow the stunned realization to form that he was under physical attack; source unknown.

Immediately on the heels of _that_ revelation came the panicked thought that something _very_ important was missing – what it was he couldn't seem to remember through the thick haze of pain that quickly replaced his brain's earlier slumber-induced fog, leaving him feeling even dizzier and more nauseous than before – he knew only that _something_ else should be there. With a moan, he tried to curl up into a fetal position, to afford himself at least the illusion of some protection, but before his shell-shocked body could complete the innate reflex action, he found himself being roughly pulled to his feet, yanked up by a seemingly disembodied arm whose fist was entangled deep within his long golden locks, the tears that sprang to his eyes at the action spilling over his cheeks unheeded as he fought desperately to catch his breath, as well as to get his disoriented senses back into working order. In agony and blinded by tears, he reached upwards, guided by instinct only, and began flailing at the offending appendage, only to feel the burning sting of another hand connecting with the tender flesh of his face, then a warm breath directed into his ear.

"Did you miss me, _Katsuya_?"

瀬戸城が好き

A stunned silence swallowed the room after Kaiba's voice died away; he had spent the better part of an hour, virtually uninterrupted, delivering the facts, as they were known, of what had occurred earlier and what had probably taken place in the last few hours in a quiet, and emotionless, monotone.

Suichi carefully watched the faces of the group of teens who had barged unceremoniously into the young CEO's office as a myriad of emotions fought their way across their features, ranging from utter disbelief to all-consuming anger to quiet desperation – as well as many in between that were impossible to put a name to. He didn't have to see it to know that his own face mirrored those same emotions; as for Tanaka, he sat tensely in his chair, a deep frown on his face, his steel-gray eyes dark with barely suppressed choler. The one exception in the room was Kaiba. Just as he had kept his voice devoid of all inflection, he now kept his face carefully neutral, giving those whose attention he held no clue as to what he might be thinking or feeling.

It was again Honda who broke the suffocating silence.

"_You..._ASSHOLE…!" He bellowed, his words reverberating around the room, the anger in his voice so palpable they could almost reach out and touch it. "You _knew_! You knew all this time, and you just sat back and did _nothing_? I always knew that you hated Jou – I never understood why – but I _never_ thought even _YOU_ would stoop so low…"

Shooting up from his chair, Kaiba's lips curled back into a tight snarl as he leant forward, hands on his desk, his body tensed almost as if he were ready to spring upon the foolhardy teenager in front of him like a 'Blue Eyes' upon its prey. His already piercing eyes flared with a dangerous blue fire as he seethed at the boy's carelessly thought out words which had awakened, once again, the niggling worm of guilt that he had done too little, too late for all concerned, including Mokuba.

NO! He would _not_ accept that!

"Let me set you straight on a few things, 'Rhino Boy'." The words came out of Seto's mouth in a hiss, his jaw rigid with anger, his normally cool features nowhere to be found as he gave vent to all the rage and frustration that he had been holding in the past few days. "First – I do _not_ hate Jounouchi. Hate is a very draining emotion that I reserve for those people who EARN it – the energy that I would have to expend is not worth it, otherwise. My adoptive father was one. _YOU_ are about to become number two on that list. Secondly – I find it very odd that you have the nerve to say that I have done _nothing_. Since I am not a part of your little 'inner circle', it took time, money and resources to find out the information that I just shared with you which, if I were such an _asshole_, I could have just kept to myself. Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that I find it strange that _YOU_ say these things to _me_ – _You_ are Jounouchi's friend - if you are only _now_ coming to the conclusion that something bad has been going on all this time, and you didn't see it or didn't want to deal with it, _that_ is a burden that YOU are going to have to bear. It is not of my doing nor is it my responsibility to help you deal with it. I called you here because my brother and your 'friend' are in trouble. Either you want to help or you don't. The decision is yours. So, unless you have something constructive to say, I suggest that you hold that loose tongue of yours in check so that the rest of us can figure out where we go from here and how to get Mokuba and the 'mutt' out of this mess that they have gotten themselves involved in, safe and in one piece."

"Listen, you…_jerk_! I don't care if – …"

"That's enough!" Yami's powerful voice sliced through the thick air, cutting off whatever else it was that the brown-haired boy had been about to say. Moving in between his hikari's best friend's best friend and the still fuming CEO, he gave a slight nod to Kaiba, then turned to face Honda, and shook his head. Gently placing his hands on the taller boy's shoulders, he exerted just enough pressure to force the teen to sit down on one of the two chocolate-brown leather couches in the room, earning him a slightly hurt and semi-angry glare from the hazel-eyed youth and glances of confusion, bewilderment and worried expectation from his other companions.

"Honda, we all understand that you don't care much for Kaiba and his treatment of Jounouchi, and that you are upset. On those two issues, we ALL agree." He stated, glancing over his shoulder at the still scowling CEO. "However…" he paused, then directing his attention back to the now quiet teen, he finished in a softer voice, choosing his words with great care, "…in this instance, your anger is clouding your vision. Kaiba is not at fault here – likewise, neither are Jounouchi nor Mokuba. All three are victims of an insidious thirst for revenge and power and a cold-blooded greediness that would put a snake to shame – a plot that had its unfortunate beginnings with the 'Big Five' and a disgruntled employee who happened to find an ally in Jounouchi's 'father', though I use the term loosely. What we need to do right now is to put our heads together and see what we can come up with to rectify the situation. To do this, we need to put our differences aside and think rationally. Jounouchi's survival depends on it. Do you understand?"

Hazel eyes stared into crimson unblinkingly as the truth of the Pharaoh's words sank in slowly. As much as he disliked the idea, there really was NO alternative…

"All right…_this_ time. But I'm warning you, 'Moneybags'…" Honda's eyes narrowed into tiny slits as he pinned the CEO with a dagger-like gaze and his voice dropped to a dangerous low, "…my friend has been hurt enough, by his father _and_ by you. Hurt him again, and I swear, even if it takes me this life and the next, I'll make you regret it."

Seto's frosty eyes met the other boy's unflinchingly, his cold facade slipping quickly back into place. "I'd advise you to keep your threats to yourself – if you're trying to frighten me, it's not working. As for Jounouchi…" He stopped briefly as if unsure that he actually wanted to speak the thought, and then continued, the hard look in his eyes softening a bit, "…_that_ is a matter that he and I will have to deal with – after this is over and without _your_ interference."

"Okay…so, what do we do? Call the cops?" Otogi interjected in a carefully measured voice from where he was standing casually against the wall. With his arms crossed and his lips drawn into a deep frown, his startling green eyes searched the other faces one by one as he spoke, ending with Kaiba. "We do and it will become a 'media circus' in no time – we'll have cops and reporters camped outside those mansion gates a mile thick. Right now, from what you've told us, I doubt that they know that anyone's on to them. They haven't contacted you with a set of demands or anything about a ransom yet, right?"

Seto shook his head, his opinion of the other teenage CEO going up a notch as he spoke calmly and logically, his behavior in stark contrast to Honda's who now sat silently brooding, watching the Kaiba Corporation Chairman like a hawk eying it next meal. "So…if we could get someone inside under some pretense, we'd have the advantage of surprise on our side…"

"The question is, who would it be and how could we get them in? What would make them open the door and risk letting someone from the outside into the mansion in the midst of a kidnapping?" Yami took over the line of thinking from the ebony-haired teen as smoothly as a runner taking the baton in the next leg of a relay race, the aura of concentration around him nearly overpowering as he turned the problem over-and-over in his mind. It was Ryou, however, who spoke, in his typically soft voice, the fear that Anzu could not as she sat quietly listening to the discussion as it made its way around the room.

"I want to help Jounouchi and Mokuba as much as any of you, but what you're suggesting is _very_ dangerous. If these people figure out what's going on, it certainly won't help the situation one bit. And even if they don't, you're taking a chance of doing nothing more that handing them another hostage."

Suichi frowned. The doe-eyed boy was right on both counts. Besides, there was no way that he was about to allow any _more_ of his students to get caught up in this mess – they were just _kids_, for Kami's sake! It was bad enough as it was with just the two of them involved; although he had to admit, at least to himself, that with the life that he led and the responsibility that he held, the seventeen-year old blue-eyed brunet had probably not considered himself to be a 'kid' for quite some time. Jounouchi, on the other hand, was an altogether different matter, as were the rest of the under-age occupants in the room. But before he could say anything to stave off the oncoming verbal 'free-for-all' as to which one of them would be the 'volunteer', the detective's determined voice cut through the brief lull in the conversation, his tone making it clear that he would accept no argument.

"I'll be the one going in."

Everyone in the room turned to stare at him in surprise, except for Kaiba. The look on his face bordered more on puzzlement than surprise. Unsure of the logic that had brought Tanaka to his decision, he did the only thing he could. "Explain." He ordered flatly, "In 'layman's terms' so _all_ of us will understand." He smirked slightly, glancing briefly over in Honda's direction. Honda growled under his breath, but held his tongue as Yami shot him a warning look.

"Yes, by all means…_explain_." Suichi echoed the command; not liking the way the hair was rising on the back of his neck.

"It should be obvious to all of you by now that the only way that they could have pulled this off, even taking into account the information Watanabe would have being an ex-employee of Kaiba Corporation, is with help from the 'inside'." Tanaka's voice held an edge to it, his usually easy-going demeanor disturbingly absent. "The boy is right – this is now _very_ dangerous. This isn't some game – it's a life-or-death situation and should be left to the adults and the professionals to deal with. It's not something any of you should be any more involved in than you really have to be."

"But why does it have to be _you_?" Suichi blurted out the question before he even thought, his face instantly going an interesting shade of red as he realized the way that it sounded. Taking a steadying breath, he tried again. "I _mean_, I understand what you're saying, and I agree wholeheartedly, but what makes you think that they'll let you in over anyone else…say, Kaiba for instance? Wouldn't _he_ have the best chance of getting in?" He winced as he belatedly realized the stupidity of what he was asking. _SURE! Just hand over the person that they were targeting to them on a 'silver platter', Suichi!_ He groaned inwardly to himself, his blush darkening as he noticed the detective's lips curl upwards slightly. "You know what I mean!" He hissed, trying in vain to ignore the curious glances from Jounouchi's friends and Seto's raised eyebrow. Damn! Sometimes he wished that his mouth and his brain didn't work on separate tracks – it would make his life so much less embarrassing!

"Your concern is duly noted, but I'm a big boy, and I assure you that I can take care of myself." Tanaka answered with soft amusement. The teacher's face immediately went from red to a deep scarlet. "As for why they would let me in – let's just say that I have a hunch that Mr. Kaiba is not their only target."

Suichi felt his pulse jump at the dark-haired man's words, sudden understanding dawning. "You think this Watanabe fellow knows about your earlier involvement with Kaiba Corporation and the firings, don't you?" He watched solemnly as the detective nodded.

"If that's the case, you'll be walking into a trap." Seto broke into the conversation, not at all happy with this latest disclosure. His eyes met the older man's steady gaze and he saw the sleuth smile ruefully.

"That's true – but _they_ won't know that I know that. It may be slim, but at the moment, as our earring-wearing friend pointed out earlier, knowledge about what's going on – the 'element of surprise' as he put it – is our only advantage. We need to use it while we can. And if we can sway the balance in our favor even by a little bit, we need to do it. I'm willing to take the risk. And it's not as if we have any other viable options – at least, none that come to mind." He paused, as if giving them an opportunity to deny what he was saying. The room remained awkwardly silent.

"All right." Seto acknowledged finally, though he made no attempt to hide his displeasure. "But I expect you to take every precaution that you deem necessary to make sure that all THREE of you come out of there in one piece, is that understood? Don't do anything stupid."

"Don't worry. You don't pay me enough to be a hero." Tanaka's feeble attempt at a bit of dark humor didn't have the effect that he had intended, especially on the younger man sitting next to him.

"Get yourself _killed_ and he won't have to pay you at all!" Suichi snapped, his worry translating into a rising anger that made his green eyes almost glow. He knew that getting angry was a stupid reaction, but he couldn't seem to help himself; the feeling of dread that had settled on him earlier just wouldn't go away. "If this guy is as smart as you say that he is, what makes you think that _this_ isn't a part of his plan, _too_?" When he received no answer, he stood up in disgust – at himself, at Tanaka; at the whole damn situation - and headed for the door. "Excuse me, but I need to get some air!"

"Coach Okawa seems very…upset…about all of this." Ryou observed quietly after the brown-haired teacher had left the room. "Perhaps you should rethink your decision." Gentle chocolate orbs turned a concerned gaze on the young detective. "It's not like him to be so adamant about something without a good reason."

"It can't be helped." Tanaka uttered, more to himself than in answer to the white-haired boy's observation, as he forced his attention back to the center of the room, a look of somewhat mild confusion on his face. Briefly shaking his head as if trying to clear his mind and help settle his thoughts, he looked up to find Kaiba staring at him intently, the questioning look in his eyes unmistakable. Drawing himself up straighter in his chair, he chose to ignore it, turning instead to focus on the group behind him. "I think that it would be best if all of you would lie low for a few days…" He stated in his most professional manner, "…that is to say, don't draw unnecessary attention to yourselves, but keep your eyes and ears open. We don't know for sure how many people are involved in this and if anyone else is being followed. Stay in touch with one another. I don't care how you do it, physically or by phone, but keep track of each other until we tell you otherwise. Your cooperation is going to be crucial to how this turns out, not only for Jounouchi and Mokuba, but for everyone concerned – understand?" He was rewarded by nods from everyone in the group but Honda, who had a look on his face as if he had swallowed something indescribably bitter.

"In other words, stay the _Hell_ out of the way, right?" He spat the words, his eyes narrowing and shifting to land on a glaring Kaiba. "You expect us to leave Jou's future in _his_ hands?"

"No…I expect you to leave it in _mine_."

瀬戸城が好き

A brokenhearted sob forced its way from Mokuba's mouth as he lay locked in his darkened bedroom, facedown upon his bed, trying in vain to drown out the gut-wrenching screams coming from Seto's room just down the hall. His tear-streaked face twisting in terror, he squeezed his eyes shut – his fists, already white-knuckled, drawing the pillow he held over his head even tighter against his ears.

It was a wasted effort.

Choking back a muffled cry, the raven-haired boy turned on his side. In despair, he pulled his knees to his chest and curled into a tight ball, wanting silence – and yet dreading – what that silence could mean.

Desperately wanting his brother...and...

Wanting...

This nightmare to...

…_STOP!_

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**Chapter Fifteen**…finally! I'm so sorry for the delay! When I wrote the disclaimer at the beginning of this chapter, I had NO idea how prophetic those words were going to be – but having spent the holidays trying to find out what was wrong with my car, and all the money that I had saved for Christmas to fix it when I did find out, I can tell you now that truer words have never been spoken…err, written!

Until next time, dear readers! Ja Ne!


	17. Ch 16 Shadows of the Soul

**Disclaimer: **Backwards or forwards. Straight up-and-down or diagonally – no matter which way you look at it, I do **NOT** own Yu-Gi-Oh!

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**Chapter Sixteen "Shadows of the Soul"**

They had been riding in silence for nearly twenty minutes.

After watching Jounouchi's friends leave and giving further assurances to his employer that he understood what he might be up against and would be prepared for it, Tanaka had left the Chairman's office to hunt for the wayward teacher. He finally found him in the 'Visitor's' parking lot leaning against the car, looking decidedly unhappy and deep in thought. Unsure of what was going on with his suddenly morose traveling companion, he had simply slipped into the car and behind the steering wheel, waiting patiently as the younger man got into the passenger's side without a word, his eyes stubbornly refusing to meet the detective's curious and somewhat perplexed gaze.

Now, chancing a glance in Suichi's direction, Tanaka made quick note of his stiff back, squared shoulders and the firm set of his jaw before returning his eyes to the road, a confused and concerned frown etching itself across his face. It was quite obvious that his decision was bothering the young teacher – the question was _why_ and _if _he really wanted to know the reason behind it – he had a feeling that he could be opening up a can-of-worms that might ought to stay closed, but then again…

"Where are we going?"

Coming without any warning, the barely audible inquiry startled Tanaka, but he was careful not to let it show. Keeping his attention on the traffic ahead, he answered mildly, as if the young man's behavior was nothing out of the ordinary. "We're going to my apartment. There are some things that I need to pick up. It won't take long." He caught Suichi's nod out of the corner of his eye. "Is there something…that you…want to talk about?" The detective's words were hesitant, his tone slightly cautious. He didn't want to upset the teacher further, but a tiny voice inside his head was now _insisting_ that, whether he liked what he heard or not, whatever was going on was important – enough so that ignoring it would _not_ be a good idea.

For a moment, the younger man acted almost as if he hadn't heard the question. He sat there, head turned, quietly watching the scenery as it slid by. Finally, just as Tanaka opened his mouth to repeat himself, Suichi swiveled in his seat to face him, his green eyes filled with such a mixture of anger and sadness that it made the older man's heart clench.

"You're so much like him. I used to get mad at him, too."

"At whom…?"

A look of pain flashed across the brown-haired man's features and he turned his face away again as he tried to fight back the unexpected flood of raw emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. He struggled with himself for a moment as the detective waited pensively, finally managing to choke out his reply in a tight voice.

"…My brother…"

瀬戸城が好き

Honda turned into the Kame Game Shop parking lot and pulled his father's old van into the space next to Otogi's blue classic convertible, throwing it into park and literally ripping the key from the ignition. Sitting there, thin-lipped and silent, he watched guardedly as his passengers disembarked one-by-one, refusing to acknowledge their goodbyes or the worried glances they shot his way, his anger and frustration clearly visible in the way he gripped the steering wheel in front of him, as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded – the only thing stopping him from exploding into a raging fury. Finally, hearing the side panel slide shut, he swung around in his seat to lock the door, his brain registering the fact at the last split-second before his hand hit the button that the van was _not_ empty. The 'Dice Master' still sat in his seat, arms crossed, studying him carefully, his sharp green eyes taking in every detail as if he might be tested on it later – his body language making it perfectly clear that he had no intention of going _anywhere_ anytime soon – at least, not until he had settled a few things with a certain hard-headed friend of his, anyway.

"All right, Honda – what's going on in that brain of yours? And don't give me any crap – you gave up way too easily and I've known you too long to believe that that's going to be the end of it. What are you up to?"

The mahogany-haired teen glowered back at him, a fierce determination lighting his eyes. "You're damn right that that's not the end of it! Do you think that I'm going to leave Jou's fate in the hands of that rich snob and his hired henchmen? Give me a break! I don't trust Kaiba as far as I can throw him – he couldn't care less what happens to Jou!"

Otogi's frown deepened at the fury in Honda's voice. Being angry was one thing; being bull-headed was another. "Come on! Give the guy _some_ credit! After all, they have Mokuba! And he and Jou are probably together. Which means, even if he doesn't _like_ Jou, he still has an incentive to save him …"

"I don't believe you! You're sticking up for that pompous, arrogant, cold-hearted S.O.B. after the way that he's treated Jou and Yuugi?"

The ebony-haired boy winced, bad memories triggered by the other teens poor choice of words. "People _can_ change, Honda. Remember – I wasn't exactly _kind_ to either one of them when we first met – putting Jou in a dog suit and trying to force Yuugi to admit that he was nothing but a cheater and a fake in front of the whole world? That doesn't rank very high on the 'friendship scale' either."

"You're different!"

"Different _how…_?" Otogi demanded, stabbing him with a glare that would have made Kaiba proud. "Look – it's true that the guy has the 'people skills' of a cold fish when it comes to anyone other than his brother. And enough pride to choke all three of those dragons of his, not to mention the high opinion he has of himself; but when it comes right down to it, has he really ever tried to _hurt_ Jou – I mean, really gone out of his way to _really_ hurt him? Think about it."

Honda scowled and looked away, unable to deny the truth in what the other boy was saying. Yes, Kaiba had taunted Jou, insulted him, embarrassed him, hurt his feelings and made him feel lower than dirt numerous times, but in all honesty he couldn't say that he had _ever_ tried to _physically_ hurt the amber-eyed blond. And if he were brutally honest, he would have to admit that Jou himself had started many of their run-ins. That one had always had him stumped. He had never been able to fathom _why_ his best friend seemed almost obsessed with the blue-eyed brunet whom Honda had once described as the teenage version of a 'walking, talking computerized refrigeration unit', to the loud guffaws of nearly all of his other classmates; except a disapproving Yuugi and a strangely silent Jou. Looking back now, he realized that he had never _really_ tried to examine it too closely, preferring to chalk it up as a natural clash between two strong-wills with opposing personalities rather than admit to himself that there might be another reason behind it – that his friend had seen something in the other boy that they had all overlooked. Before, he would have scoffed at the idea, but after what they had found out today about Jou, suddenly he wasn't so sure. If they had turned a blind-eye to what was going on with their friend, how much more had they failed to see – not only in regards to Kaiba, but with each other? Just how well _did_ they really know one another, anyway? Or was _he_ the only one who was totally clueless? After all, he had known Jou the longest, and until recently, he had never questioned what the blond had told him – granted, he might have become good at hiding what was going on, but surely there had been _clues_ that he should have picked up on – things that should have raised a warning flag that his friend was in trouble. _Why_ hadn't he seen them?

Turning his gaze back to the other occupant of the van who sat calmly waiting for an answer, Honda spoke, the words flying out of his mouth in a frenzy, heavy and unstoppable, as if he couldn't dispense with the distasteful secret he was about to divulge fast enough. "You don't understand, man! Jou and I have been friends _forever_; long before Yuugi, or Yami, or Anzu, or Ryou – or _you_ – came into the picture! And I _never_ knew! He lied to me over and over again, and I never thought twice about what he told me – never doubted one word that past his lips – even with the evidence staring me square in the face! I…I just didn't see it…didn't _want_ to see it…_I DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW!_" Slapping his hand over his mouth, his hazel eyes widening as the realization of what he had just said struck him like a bolt out of the blue, he stared at Otogi with an expression of shocked horror on his face. His dark-haired friend watched with pained understanding as tears welled up in the brown-haired youth's disbelieving eyes, his conscious mind finally forced to acknowledge the awful truth – he _had _known, _had_ seen, and on some level buried deep inside of himself, he had been _angry_ with Jou for lying to him, for not trusting him – had this been his way of punishing Jou? If so, then Yami had been right all along, his anger _had _clouded his vision, and not just against Kaiba, but also against the very person that he had wanted so desperately to help. "Oh, Jou…! I am _so..._ _so_ sorry!" The anguished apology he whispered to the empty air sounded hollow and strangely loud in the otherwise silent van, as the normally stoic CEO's unusually heated words from earlier rang hauntingly in his ears.

'…_YOU are Jounouchi's friend – if you are only now coming to the conclusion that something bad has been going on all this time, and you didn't see it or didn't want to deal with it, THAT is a burden that YOU are going to have to bear…'_

瀬戸城が好き

Tanaka pulled into the underground garage of his apartment complex, his mind a whirl with questions. No other words had passed between the two men after Suichi's astounding disclosure – mostly because he was too upset to speak further and the detective was too stunned to know what to say. He distinctly remembered the conversation that they had had Friday night at the 'Butterfly Empress' and what the teacher had told him about being an only child – he also remembered how quickly the younger man had changed the subject. At the time he'd thought nothing of it, but now it seemed the quick turnabout wasn't as innocent as it had first appeared to be. Shoving his personal feelings aside, Tanaka shifted into 'professional mode', wondering why Suichi would find it necessary to lie to him about something that on the surface seemed so trivial. They needed to talk, but he wasn't sure if they had the time – and this was something that he was sure that he didn't want to rush through. He didn't understand, but that same tiny voice from earlier was telling him that this was a matter that was going to have a major impact on the rest of his life – and if it were _that _important, he wanted to take _no_ chances with screwing it up. He'd watched enough people that were important to him in his life drift away for one reason or another, and he would be _damned_ if he was going to let it happen again, especially to him and Suichi. But he had to be careful. He would have to let the younger man take the lead on this one, and just hope that when he did decide to open up that they could deal with whatever had erected this invisible wall between the two of them, hopefully before that wall got so high neither one of them could climb over it.

瀬戸城が好き

Seto leaned wearily back in his chair, staring with unseeing eyes at his office ceiling, his stomach twisting as he realized just how powerless he really was at the moment to do anything to help two of the few people in the world that he would actually admit to caring about. Having to leave everything in someone else's hands frustrated him to no end. He wasn't used to feeling this helpless – but this _wasn't _just some business deal gone wrong. Mokuba's, as well as Jounouchi's, future was at stake here, and as much as he wanted to go rushing in to pull them out of harm's way, looking at it logically, he _knew_ that he would be on a fool's mission. It was far more likely that he would only make the situation worse by doing something stupid, like getting caught and held as a hostage himself – in the end, he would be helping no one.

It was the knowledge that, while he was just sitting there, someone could be hurting Mokuba the same way Jou's father had hurt him that was literally tearing the brunette's insides apart. It wasn't that he wasn't frightened for the blond as well – to tell the truth, for perhaps the first time in his life, the supposedly cold, calculating and ruthless teenage CEO was absolutely _terrified_ of what the future might hold. The horrifying thought had hit him earlier that, even _if_ Mokuba was relatively safe right now – as safe as one _could_ be while being held by twisted, psychotic, and power-hungry madmen – Jou had no such assurances. Mokuba, thankfully, was still needed as a bargaining chip – Jounouchi's usefulness had ended the second that he had managed to get the kidnappers through the gates and onto the estate grounds. And since nearly everyone on the planet was acutely aware of the rivalry between the stoic CEO and the blond, there was not even the remotest possibility of pretending a friendship between the two of them for the younger boy to use as a way to buy himself the tiniest sliver's worth of safety. In their eyes, Jou would now be expendable, and knowing that made the normally cool, calm and collected brunet decidedly uneasy. Reduced to being nothing more than a spectator in his own life, he could only sit and curse himself silently as he remembered each time that the blond had offered the hand of friendship only to have him slap it away as though it were worthless.

Curse himself and swear to all the gods that he could remember the names of that, if he got the opportunity to have it offered again, that this time, he wouldn't turn it down.

瀬戸城が好き

He couldn't move anymore.

He lay where he had fallen, trying desperately to force air into burning lungs through a throat made raw from screaming. His tongue, running across dry, cracked lips, caught the taste of copper from his bloody nose and somewhere in the dim recesses of his mind a fleeting thought passed by that it might be broken. His left eye was swollen shut and what he could see out of his right eye was a blurry, confusing cockeyed world half-hidden from his vision by the way his badly battered face was pressed into the blue plush-pile carpeting of Seto's bedroom floor, his split cheek and bruised jaw throbbing painfully in spite of the luxurious cushioning beneath them.

He was going to die. He was sure of it.

He _wanted_ to die.

This time had not been like all the others. There had been no holding back on his father's part, no caring about where he was hit or what would show, just a vicious, all-out assault meant to do only one thing – inflict as much pain as possible. And like an earth-bound angel with a broken wing, the honey-eyed blond now lay there, waiting for the true and final darkness to come and claim him; and wondering idly if he would even leave a memory behind.

Floating somewhere between the light and the dark, he was barely aware that someone was speaking. The voice seemed to be coming from so far away – its tone was harsh, angry, but he couldn't make out what was being said – the words didn't make sense and the effort it would take to try and figure them out was too much. He was too tired and he wasn't even sure that it mattered anymore. Had it _ever_ really mattered?

The light was dimming. The darkness was coming closer.

There was sorrow. And regret. Then a strange, eerie calmness seemed to settle over his soul.

The final thoughts he had, besides the one about being unable to keep his promise to save Mokuba, was that he wished that he had been able to see _him_ one last time – that he'd had one last chance to try and make him understand that he'd wanted nothing from him but friendship – nothing more than acceptance. To be able to convince him that, unlike all the others that he might have met in his short and trauma-filled life, _he_ was different. _He_ could have been trusted.

And then…

…The light went out.

"No! No! No! NO! NO!" Mokuba shrieked the words, half in anger, half in terror as a smirking Watanabe forcibly pushed him back into his older brother's bedroom. Landing roughly on his hands and knees, his raven locks hiding his tear-stained face from the older man's unsympathetic view, he made no attempt to move further until he heard the door close, the lock clicking loudly into place.

Raising his head, what came into his line of sight made him go wide-eyed and rigid with horror, his stomach lurching painfully as the bile rose dangerously into his throat. Clamping a hand tightly over his mouth, he scrambled to his feet, barely making it in time to his brother's bathroom before he lost the war with himself, vomiting the meager contents of what he had eaten earlier that morning into the cold, sterile, specially ordered white-enamel Italian porcelain toilet with a vengeance.

瀬戸城が好き

Honda had been gone almost half-an-hour and Otogi still sat in his car outside of the Kame Game Shop, undecided as to what to do. It wasn't that he didn't trust the hazel-eyed brunet; it was just that, like Jou, he tended to be a hothead sometimes and did things without thinking them through. And right now, he was an angry, frightened, frustrated, guilt-ridden basket-case that would be hard pressed to give a straight answer when asked his name, much less deal with the emotional ins-and-outs of the current situation.

It might be breaking a confidence, and Honda might not ever trust him again, but he _had_ to tell the rest of the gang what was going on with the pointy-haired teen – he would need watching around the clock and he couldn't do it alone. The last thing they needed was for Honda to go off the deep end and do something crazy. It was hard enough for any of them to even acknowledge the possibility that they might have lost _one_ friend – the thought of losing _two_ made the green-eyed CEO's insides twist, especially when he thought of Shizuka.

He had come to realize early on that he stood no chance with the auburn-haired beauty – in reality, he flirted with her now only because he liked to see her blush and to get a rise out of Honda and her overprotective brother. It had become a game – amusing, sweet and innocent – just like the girl herself. He shuddered to think what the loss of both Jou _and_ Honda could do to her, and he was determined never to let things get to the point where he would have to find out.

With a resigned sigh, the ebony-haired teen pulled the key from the ignition, dropping it into his vest pocket as he slipped fluidly from the car. The others were still inside, which was a lucky break for him. He was _not_ looking forward to this, but knowing that he would only have to do it _once_ instead of _three _times made it a little easier to bear.

There was only one thing that he _was_ glad of, and that was that he was young, fast and had good reflexes. After all, being able to duck quickly was a good skill to have when facing a body inhabited by the spirit of an irate, five thousand year-old Pharaoh.

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**Chapter Sixteen** brings in yet more twists and turns! Will Tanaka's 'plan' work? What's up with Suichi? How long can Seto stay out of the fray? What's Honda going to do? Who's going to protect Mokuba NOW? (Evil grin) You'll just have to stay tuned, my friends!

As always, thanks for reading and double-thanks to all of those who reviewed! Until next time! Ja Ne!


	18. Ch 17 Demons, Devils & Forgotten Angels

**Disclaimer: **(Sigh!) Would it help if I just tattooed this stupid thing on my forehead for all to see? I do **not** own Yu-Gi-Oh! No chance! No how! It isn't ever going to happen!

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**Chapter Seventeen "Demons, Devils and Forgotten Angels"**

Anzu handed the towel-wrapped plastic bag full of ice to Otogi, who took it with a mumbled "Thanks", as she sat down on the couch by a very red-faced Yuugi, who was holding his bandaged hand and looking everywhere _but_ at the dark-haired young man sitting across from him. "I really am sorry, Otogi! Yami had no cause to do that!" He sighed. "I really wish that he would learn to control that temper of his." Grimacing as he flexed the fingers of his damaged hand, he added with a huff, "For more reasons than one!"

Otogi held the bag of ice to his throbbing jaw, wincing at both the pain and the cold. "I know what you mean! And here I thought that_ I_ was fast! He gives new meaning to the word!"

"He didn't mean it!" Anzu spoke quietly, her upset written all over her pretty face. "It's just that, with all that's happened today, what you told us about Honda was too much for him to handle right now. Besides…" She paused, looking away, "…Honda isn't the only one who's feeling guilty about not seeing what was going on, _is_ he? I think we _all_ share in that."

Yuugi sighed again softly, his large lavender eyes tearing a bit as he nodded his agreement. "That's true. We're all feeling bad; Yami, especially."

"Why 'especially'?" Ryou questioned as he came into the room, juggling a small tray laden with a teapot, four teacups, a sugar bowl and teaspoons in one hand, and a plate of cookies in the other, both of which he quickly deposited on the nearly empty coffee table. "I mean, we're all Jou's friends. We share in this equally, don't we?"

"Honda doesn't think so." Otogi muttered darkly.

"Neither does Yami."

"And _why_ on Earth not?"

Yuugi shrugged slightly. "I'm not sure, but I think it's because he believes for some reason that since he's a spirit and is surrounded by the magic of the Millennium Puzzle that, more than anyone else, he should have sensed that something was wrong."

"But that's silly!" Ryou protested vehemently. "I could understand it if we were dealing with 'shadow magic' here – then one could expect him to sense something – but we're _not_. He's a spirit, for Heaven's sake, not a psychic!"

The diminutive duelist again nodded his agreement, this time with the Britain's words. "I know that, and _you_ know that, but convincing Yami of that is something else entirely."

"Yeah – when it comes to stubbornness, Yami and Kaiba run neck-and-neck." The "Dice Master' grumbled, and then added sourly, "With Honda coming in a close third."

The white-haired boy made a face as he sat down in the only single seat in the room. "That's the pot calling the kettle black, don't you think? You've a bit of a stubborn streak yourself." Learning forward, he began to pour the tea, his voice softening as he continued. "Look, we can all play the 'blame game' until we're blue in the face. The truth is, at this point it really doesn't matter. What's done is done. We all have to move on; otherwise we won't be able to extricate ourselves from this mess, much less help Jounouchi."

"What about Honda?" Anzu asked, noticeably blushing as Yuugi smiled shyly up at her, reaching over and taking her hand gently in his own as a sign of reassurance.

"Don't worry, Anzu. We'll figure out something. As soon as Yami cools down some, we'll see what he thinks – besides, I know that he'll want to apologize to Otogi…" He said, glancing over at the other boy who looked back at him with an 'I'm-not-so-sure-about-that' expression on his face, "…and we also have to come up with a way for all of us to stay in touch. You heard what that detective said – until this is over, we all need to keep track of one another." The brunette nodded, her blue eyes still uncertain. "Anzu…?"

"It's just…I'm _so_ worried about Jou…_and_ Mokuba, of course…" Her voice faded away and she bit her lip in consternation, her eyes darkening as she tried to put her feelings into words. "I don't understand how Jou's father could do this to him, and I don't understand why Jou didn't tell us what was going on – why he didn't ask for our help. Maybe, if I had tried a little harder when I spoke to him…"

"You did all you could, Anzu." Otogi offered with a soft frown. "This isn't your fault."

"But…why didn't he _trust _us? We could have helped him – _somehow_! We're his friends! We would have found a way!" The girl argued with a choked sob, the tears beginning to roll down her face as the dam of emotion finally broke. Yuugi squeezed her hand, desperately trying to lend some comfort as he watched her with pained eyes. Unsure as to what words might ease her heartache, he looked pleadingly at Ryou who sighed and shook his head as he straightened up and sat back in his chair.

"It had _nothing_ to do with _trust_ or _friendship_…and _everything_ to do with them."

"Huh?" Otogi said, completely lost as he looked at Yuugi, whose large eyes were blinking in total confusion, and Anzu, whose tear-streaked face held the same bewildered expression as the teen-aged CEO's. "I don't get it."

"It wasn't that Jounouchi didn't trust us. And it wasn't that he didn't think that we would help. He knew we _would_. That was the problem." The Brit explained patiently. "He knew what a bastard his father was – he was trying to protect us. He likes to pretend to be the 'smart-ass, knuckle-cracking street punk', but we all know that he's about as tough as a bowl of half-set Jell-O when it comes to anything that deals with the heart. You _do_ remember 'Duelist's Kingdom'?" They all nodded solemnly. "I'm sure that he thought the only way to keep us safe would be to keep us in the dark – after all, as long as we didn't know anything, his father had no excuse to come after us. Understand?"

"I guess you're right." The green-eyed boy frowned as he tossed the toweled plastic bag with its half-melted contents to the side, watching in irritation as it bounced off the couch cushion to land in a soggy heap on the carpet. "Damn! What a mess!" He snorted with disgust as he rose from where he was sitting to clean it up.

They all knew that he was NOT referring to the one he had just made on the floor.

瀬戸城が好き

Hirotaka scowled in disgust, literally slamming the door of the stainless-steel refrigerator closed, much to the secret delight of Watanabe, who sat lazily at the small dining table in the kitchen watching his partner-in-crime with bemused eyes. He couldn't resist the temptation to have a little fun at his companion's expense – it wasn't often that he found himself in this position, after all – the other man being such a control freak, it was hard to catch him off guard.

"I'm afraid that you won't find any beer, is that's what you're looking for. Kaiba doesn't drink." He smirked at his friend's unique choice in swear words before adding, "He's underage, remember?" He was barely able to contain the laughter that threatened to erupt at the look on Hirotaka's face as realization set in.

"Just one more reason to hate the bastard!" The blond growled, sitting down heavily in the chair across the table from the older man and shooting Watanabe a warning look as he finally gave in, the laughter he released rich with dark amusement. "Don't push it – I'm so _not_ in the mood!"

"_Awww_, what's the matter, Hiro? Not enough 'quality time' with the kid? Or is something else on your mind?"

The elder Jounouchi frowned. "Are you sure every thing's set? We can't afford any screw ups."

"Don't worry. It's all taken care of." The dark-haired man said with a smug grin. "I'm the best at what I do – remember? I was given my name for a reason."

"Yeah, I know – you're the 'Nuts and Bolts' of any operation; the 'go-to' man – the guy who makes everything fall smoothly into place. And you earned the name – it wasn't given to you. But even so…"

"There's nothing to worry about – every thing's under control. Young Mr. Kaiba has more enemies than he can shake a stick at. It wasn't hard to find what I needed – in fact, you could almost say that my contacts went overboard to be helpful in some cases." He smirked, his dark eyes glittering. "Just sit back and enjoy. Once this is over, you'll be rid of the kid, rich and on your way to fun in the Sun in a country where the law can't touch you."

Hirotaka raised an eyebrow at his compatriot's words. "And what about you?" He asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. "What are you going to do when everything is said and done?"

Watanabe's eyes suddenly seemed to catch fire even as his features turned cold and hard. "Me? Oh, believe me, I have _definite_ plans! I'll be going away, but not so far away that I won't be able to make certain that whatever time that snobbish, good-for-nothing 'Gozaboro wanna-be' has left on this Earth is as miserable as I can make it! When I'm through, he'll curse the day that he was born, much less the day that he took over Kaiba Corporation!"

瀬戸城が好き

_Jounouchi blinked furiously, trying desperately to distinguish even the tiniest flaw in the perfect darkness that surrounded him. __**Where am I? **__He thought dazedly, quickly reaching out with both arms into the seemingly endless abyss, trying to grope his way through the gloom like a blind man would in unfamiliar territory, an uneasy feeling running through him as his hands connected with nothing but empty air. Unable to tell what direction he was heading in with no visual point for reference, his pounding heart thundering in his ears, he hesitantly worked his way forward into the unknown, half-way expecting at any second to find himself plummeting over the edge of some invisible cliff to disappear forever into the silent, jet-black nothingness._

_Lost and disoriented, and with no way to calculate the passage of time, he continued along with halting steps, until a pin-point of light caught his attention, hovering like a magical beacon somewhere off in the distance. How far away it was he had no way of knowing, but it drew him like a magnet, and even though he had no idea of where it was leading, he followed its pull, trudging on, focusing everything he had on reaching the only target visible in the strange black-and-white world that he had somehow wandered into._

_As he got nearer, the light became brighter, taking up more and more of what he supposed one would have to call the horizon, until he found it almost impossible to look directly at it any longer without it hurting his eyes. Strangely enough, there was also a welcomed warmth that seemed to emanate from the light – not that the darkness was cold – in truth, he felt nothing from it, at all. And it was that absence of sensation that made the warmth in front of him all the more appealing, drawing him ever closer to it like a moth to a candle's flame, whatever fear he felt steadily diminishing degree-by-degree as he drew nearer to its heat._

_However, just as he seemed to be within arm's reach of his goal, a figure appeared between him and his destination, its features lost in shadow as it faced away from the light and into the darkness. Still trapped by the light's almost blinding brightness, Jou shielded his eyes with one arm, trying to make out through the glare who or what it was that now blocked his way._

_He stood there, squinting in confusion – wondering and waiting – for what, he wasn't sure. And then, almost as if it were trying to help answer his unvoiced question, the light began to dim slowly, until finally he found himself looking up at and into the face of a rather tall young woman with delicately sculptured features who, despite her fragile-looking appearance, none-the-less seemed to radiate with an unearthly aura of power and grace that made her seem almost ethereal in nature - a creature of classic beauty, whose flowing chestnut hair and ruby lips stood out in stark contrast against skin that was as translucent and as flawless as the finest porcelain._

_But it was her eyes that held him spellbound. Eyes which he was sure that he had never seen before, and yet, they were so hauntingly familiar – as familiar as the very air he breathed or the ground that he walked on every day._

_Eyes that could, with the merest glance, consume someone like kindling in a raging fire or instantly freeze them into a solid pillar of ice._

_Eyes that were as deep and as blue as the ocean itself._

_Cerulean eyes._

Mokuba sniffled, his cheeks drenched and stinging from the salt in his tears as he replaced the warm cloth with a fresh, cool one for the umpteenth time, his attempt to provide some comfort to the feverish blond, who lay unnaturally still and silent, done as much for himself as it was for his friend. It gave him something to do and kept him from thinking too much; because, if he allowed himself to think too hard about what was happening – what _could _happen – the fear would paralyze him. And something instinctual told him that that would be a very _bad_ thing at the moment. He would be able to allow himself to feel the fear later – for right now, he kept his mind as blank as he could, contenting himself with the pretense that his make-shift first-aid was actually helping the other boy in some way, even though deep-down he doubted that he was doing much good at all. His friend was in terrible shape, and he knew it – and as much as he had come to despise Gozaboro Kaiba for the way that he had treated his older brother, it paled in comparison to what he was now feeling for the man who had done this to Jou. It was a loathing equaled only by the tremendous amount of sorrow that he felt at all the pain and sadness that his friend had endured in silence, and the disbelief that someone – _anyone_ – could actually enjoy doing such things to another human being, much less to their own flesh-and-blood. If he had thought Gozaboro to be a demon, Mokuba now considered Jounouchi's father to be the Devil himself, and he made a silent vow that when this was over – with or without Seto's approval – that he would, somehow, find a way to make sure that the teen was safe…

…If they were able to survive that long.

瀬戸城が好き

Tanaka turned the key in the fancy brass lock, hesitating briefly before turning the matching knob and swinging the door open to his private 'sanctuary', inviting the young man accompanying him in with a curt nod and a quick flourish of his hand. There hadn't been any words between them since he had parked the car – the tension was so thick by now that the detective found himself unconsciously gritting his teeth in a vain attempt to alleviate the mounting pressure that was putting a severe strain on his nerves.

It was true that he was a professional, but he was also _very _human – and only a total _fool _could truthfully say that he felt no fear at all rushing headlong into a battle that he wasn't sure that he could win. After all, it wasn't like striding straight into an enemy's camp with the full knowledge that you could be walking into a trap was something one did every day – and it was certainly not something one did lightly. Gambling with one's life was a risky business, and no matter how the cards were dealt or how many hands were played, in this 'game' you were only allowed to lose _once_. The problem was, his life wasn't the only one up for grabs, and that's really where things got complicated. Risking his own life was one thing; knowing that if he screwed up that it could cost the life of one or both hostages was another. Needless to say, Suichi's attitude wasn't helping matters; Tanaka could feel his discontent wrapping around him like a heavy blanket, and it was a distraction the handsome sleuth could ill afford. He needed to focus his attention solely on what lay ahead; and yet, he found himself reluctant just to let it go without some acknowledgment. In truth, disregarding the fact that his emotions had chosen an extraordinarily bad time to step up and demand his attention, he had to be honest and admit that the teacher's opinion mattered to him; perhaps, much more than it should. But understanding _why _it mattered so much, and _how_ it had come to be so in such a short period of time would have to wait for later perusal – at the moment he had other things to attend to.

"Make yourself comfortable." He spoke quietly, nodding his head toward the custom-made black-and-camel colored leather sofa that took up a major portion of the room. "I'll be back in a few minutes." With that said, he vanished through another doorway to the right of where Suichi was standing, leaving the teacher to his own devices as he tried to ready himself for the challenges ahead.

Suichi watched Tanaka disappear into the other room before collapsing onto the sofa with a heavy sigh, rubbing his hand through his hair in absolute frustration. He wasn't sure exactly what it was that he was feeling – he felt so unlike himself – so…disjointed. It was almost as if he was a totally different person from just a scant three days ago – but that wasn't possible – right? How could meeting just one person turn the entire world as he knew it upside-down and inside-out in such a short space of time? And why had the events of the past few days managed to dredge up so easily memories and emotions that he had so carefully and painstakingly locked away?

When his brother had died, a large part of Suichi had died with him, and the only way to keep his sanity had been to push the reality away, as strange as that sounded, and develop a sort of 'tunnel vision' that focused only on day-to-day matters. Eating, sleeping, working, going to school, paying the bills, studying – getting through the day and leaving no time for idle thought until the pain subsided enough where he could face the loss of the sibling that had become both Father and Mother to him after their parents' tragic deaths.

But that day had never come. Instead, he had buried the pain even deeper than he had buried the body of his last blood relative; drowned himself in his studies, graduated early and moved away from his childhood home – never speaking of his brother again. Telling everyone, as he had told the detective when he had asked, that he was an 'only child' – not only to divert any further questions, but to keep himself from having to deal with the loss that had shattered his heart into a million tiny pieces at the same time as it had ripped apart his entire world.

Better to deny his brother's existence entirely than to acknowledge a future without him in it.

It wasn't logical; he had always known that, just as he had always known that someday he would be forced to sort out the tangled web of emotions that had been left in the wake of his brother's death – his mind accepted that as inevitable – it was his heart that refused to see reason.

And until now, the 'smoke and mirrors' act his wounded psyche had devised had worked, at least well enough for him to function like a normal human being in the eyes of the outside world. So why did he feel like it was all suddenly falling apart – like _he _was falling apart - and why _now_?

He had told the detective that he reminded him of his brother – and he did, not only in looks, but also in attitude. The way he saw the world – his sense of justice and matter-of-fact way of looking at things; even his mischievous sense of humor – it was almost as if his brother's spirit had been reborn somehow and placed within a slightly reworked shell.

That thought was disturbing enough – on many levels and for many different reasons – but it was the horrible sense of foreboding that threatened to overtake him every time he concentrated on what the older man was getting ready to do that sent a cold shudder of fear straight through him. He couldn't explain it, no matter how much he analyzed it. There was no reason or rhyme to it.

It just WAS, and he couldn't shake the feeling no matter how hard he tried.

瀬戸城が好き

Tanaka expertly fed the new clip into the Glock, listening with a grim satisfaction as it clicked smoothly into place. Sliding the gun into its leather shoulder harness, he pulled his suit jacket closed, buttoning it up quickly, his face now a cool mask showing little emotion other than a steely-eyed determination. He retrieved the next object that he had laid out on the heavy, wooden antique dresser, slipping it over his right wrist and closing it with a sharp snap, smirking slightly as the silver metal of the hard bangle I.D. bracelet glinted softly in the low lamplight. Finally, he toed out of the everyday shoes that he was currently wearing and slipped into the special, custom-made Italian loafers that he had picked out just moments before, grimacing a little at the 'new shoe' stiffness of the handcrafted leather.

Catching his reflection in the dresser mirror as he looked back up, he sighed; a frown forming as he finger-combed his ebony locks back into place. There was nothing more to be done. He had taken all the precautions that he could – anything more obvious would be a dead giveaway to Jounouchi and Mokuba's captors that someone was onto their little 'game'. Of course, taking a gun into such a situation was dangerous in itself, although he didn't expect to have it very long once he made it inside. In truth, for as much good as it was going to do him, he could just as well leave it there; but a detective showing up _without_ a weapon was bound to raise all sorts of suspicions – taking it along would be useful as a diversionary tactic, if nothing else. Once they found the gun they wouldn't have a reason to go looking for anything further – or at least, he hoped not. If they did, he was sunk. Tanaka doubted that he could hide anything for very long from Watanabe, a man who had made a second career out of supplying 'specialty items' to most of Domino City's underworld for the last year; items which had run the gambit from ordinary pocket knives to some very cutting-edge electronic devices that would have made even James Bond jealous. In his mind, that expertise made the ex-Kaiba employee the 'high man on the totem pole' and the first one of the two that needed to be taken down. The elder Jounouchi's brute strength was dangerous – add in his cunning and intelligent mind and he was even more so – but someone who possessed all three, in addition to a generous helping of burning hatred and insane obsession, was truly going to be a formidable foe. Going up against such a man was going to take every ounce of strength, every shred of knowledge and every bit of nerve that he had. One misstep, one careless mistake and it would surely be the end of him. He had no doubt that that was what Watanabe had planned for him anyway – he just didn't want the moment to come before he was ready to deal with it. After all, he had some plans of his own. There were quite a few things that he was still looking forward to doing, not the least of which included living until his bones creaked, his hair turned white and he was forced to 'gum' his food into submission.

But even before that, came the need to get answers to some very important questions regarding a certain green-eyed, brown-haired teacher that he knew – and to do that, he was going to have to make it out of this mess successfully – alive, and preferably, in one piece.

Taking one last look at his reflection in the mirror as he slipped his wallet into his outside jacket pocket, he straightened his shoulders with a resolve that he was far from feeling, grabbed his keys from the top of the dresser, turned and departed the room, hesitating only briefly as the door shut behind him with a loud and resounding click.

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**Chapter Seventeen **has been 'put to bed' – finally! What may seem (to some) like a 'pointless' chapter holds some very important details that will become essential to the story later on. Because of that, it took a while to write! With work, taxes, car inspection, car tags, a broken water main (that flooded my basement), fights with the insurance company, a 'break-in' and an 'attempted' robbery, in addition to three birthdays all in the same month – let's just say that I was glad to see March go! Oh, and as I stated before; I do this on the computer at work before and after hours, and with the recent _crash_ of the site and the _incomplete _recovery which left me unable to download for what seemed like _forever_, this update is REALLY LATE…my apologies!

Until later, dear readers! Ja Ne!


	19. Ch 18 An Idiot's Blind Faith

**Disclaimer: **Do I own it? **NO**. Do I want it? That's a stupid question. Am I going to get it? What do YOU think? Now that that's settled…

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**Chapter Eighteen "An Idiot's Blind Faith and Unbreakable Bonds"**

Tanaka pushed the button again, an uneasy feeling taking hold in the pit of his stomach as the Kaiba Estate's front gate intercom buzzed loudly for the third time without his presence being acknowledged. As he faced the double gate, he cut his eyes sharply to the left and slightly upwards, quickly noting that the security camera, which was positioned on the portion of the stonewall that supported the western-half of the huge wrought-iron monstrosity, _was_ working – at least, judging from its glowing red light – so, he supposed that the kidnappers were either ignoring him to see what he would do next or were trying to make a spur-of-the-moment decision on how to deal with an unforeseen complication and, if he were lucky, something that could turn out to be a major setback to their plans.

Just as he was reaching to push the button for a fourth time, a burst of static shot from the intercom, followed immediately by a heavy voice that was obviously trying its best to sound pleasant, but contained a hard undertone that had the detective's eyes narrowing in instant suspicion. It had immediately struck Tanaka as dark and slightly guarded; however, as he scrutinized it more closely, he realized that it held not even a trace of surprise whatsoever, and he felt his uneasiness grow, Suichi's words of caution from earlier running quickly through his mind. He shook himself mentally and tried to dismiss the thought – it wouldn't do to start second-guessing himself now – but nonetheless, its wary tone and the lack of warmth in the man's voice, along with the teacher's remembered warning, managed to set his teeth on edge, and he found his muscles jumping nervously despite his best efforts to remain calm. Distantly, he wondered which one it was that he was speaking to, the elder Jounouchi or Watanabe, and then decided that it really didn't matter. They were both sick, twisted individuals who took delight in other people's pain and suffering, and did so without remorse – as far as he was concerned, they were the 'dregs' of the Earth, and he was going to take a perverse satisfaction in seeing that they got what was coming to them. He wasn't sure if the end result would be deemed 'equal justice' considering everything that they had done, but he would try his best to see that it was as close to it as he and the law could get.

"Hello? Hello? Please state your name, occupation and what business you have at the Estate!"

The young private eye swung his full attention back to the 'faceless' voice as it repeated its demand, its irritation at not getting the answer that it wanted the first time around bleeding through the forced civility, making the detective smirk in spite of the seriousness of the present situation. Pushing any uncertainty and nervousness he felt back into the dark recesses of his mind to deal with later, he answered with an actor's grace, managing to come off sounding disinterested and slightly bored with the whole affair.

"Sorry - my name is Tadashi Tanaka. I'm a private investigator hired by Mr. Kaiba. He asked me to meet him here at the Estate to go over some notes on a case of possible industrial espionage. _Come_ _on! Take the bait! _He thought grimly, almost forgetting to breathe as he waited for what would, hopefully, be a positive response from the CEO's inner sanctum.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then the intercom crackled to life again. "Mr. Kaiba isn't available at the moment. Come back later." With that, the box went dead.

"Damn it!" The gray-eyed sleuth swore softly under his breath, and then hit the call button again. This _had_ to work – failure was _not_ an option.

"What?" The exasperation in the man's voice now was unmistakable.

"Look, you didn't let me finish. I _know _that Mr. Kaiba isn't home. He told me to meet him here, but some sort of emergency at the office has delayed him. I'm supposed to wait for him." Thinking fast, he quickly added, "If you have a problem with that, I could call him and make other arrangements, but he won't be happy about it."

There was a death-like silence on the other end; the only thing giving away the fact that someone was still there being the slight hum of the open channel. Finally, the disembodied voice snapped a terse "Hold on a minute!" and a few seconds later, the heavy gate began to groan.

Mentally, Tanaka chalked-up one for the good guys as he stepped through the opening, then reminded himself forcefully, with a deep frown, that this was only round one of what was probably going to be a long and dangerous fight, and that it wouldn't do to get too sure of himself. He needed to stay alert, focused and in control, as much as that were possible, but he had to admit that he wouldn't be adverse to a little bit of extra favorable attention from Lady Luck, either. After all, amongst all the vices that he possessed, he could honestly say that pride had never been one of them.

As far as he was concerned, he could use all the help that he could get.

瀬戸城が好き

Hirotaka flicked the intercom off as he locked his attention on one of the many security screens on the wall before him, a tight scowl forming on his face as he watched the detective's image make its way slowly up the long driveway toward the mansion's front door. This little twist had never been brought up as a possibility in any of the scenarios that they had played out between them, and even though he was sure that he had been able to hide his shock from the older man and had managed to keep his voice free of any evidence of surprise or alarm, he had quickly noted that Watanabe didn't seem concerned in the least – in fact, he acted truly _pleased_ by this latest complication. Indeed, the younger blond found the sudden, almost insane gleam the detective's arrival had sparked in the other man's dark eyes quite disturbing – it was almost as if he had been hoping that something like this would happen all along. The very idea irked the elder Jounouchi to no end – being kept in-the-dark by his so-called 'partner' about such an unlikely wrinkle in their plans ranked right up there with having a perfectly good tooth pulled by an inept dentist with a pair of rusty pliers – and the fact that he was beginning to get the unsettling feeling that he had somehow lost control of their little 'production' to the other man wasn't helping improve his mood any. Normally, he would have already taken action to put a halt to the situation and to vent his steadily mounting displeasure, but the strange vibes that Watanabe was giving off at the moment made his skin crawl, and unlike his pathetic excuse for a son, he _had_ a brain _and_ he knew when to use it.

So, he decided that it would be to his best advantage for the moment to bide his time and see how things went down – if they took a nosedive, he had his own backup plan ready and waiting. It was a lesson that he had learned at a very early age, and learned well. In this cold, harsh and unforgiving world, nothing was more important than self-preservation. One could not afford to let something as transitory as friendship, or as cumbersome as family ties, stand in the way when one's own survival was on the line. After all, when it came right down to it, the only person one could really count on in this life was one's own self anyway. You came into the world alone, you struggled alone, and you sure-as-Hell died alone – and only fools looked to others for the strength that they needed to survive. Friendship…? Trust…? Love…?

Friendship disappeared.

Trust was always betrayed.

And love?

Love was a concept that he had never been able to grasp, and had never wanted to. As far as he was concerned, love was nothing more than a suffocating sickness that stole your strength and your sanity before it totally destroyed you – no matter what form it came in. Parental love... Brotherly love... Romantic love... It was all the same to him. It brought a weakness and a loss of control that he wanted nothing to do with. He despised it in any of its guises – and anyone who professed to believe in it – and that included the younger version of him that was lying bruised and bloodied in the bedroom upstairs.

No matter how hard that he had tried and no matter what he had done, he had been unable to break the boy of his foolhardy ideas that emotions like 'friendship' and 'love' meant something – that somehow they could tip the scales of fate if only one believed hard enough – or at the very least, make a dreary life bearable; that in the end, that they could make a difference when it came to one's destiny and one's place in the greater scheme of things. Even now, after all his efforts, Katsuya still clung to his ridiculous notions. But then, he was an idiot – nothing more than a pathetic weakling without enough brains to see the truth.

Not that that would matter for much longer.

Scanning the screens before him, Hirotaka realized that their 'visitor' had reached the threshold of the mansion's front entrance while he had been lost in thought. He wasn't sure exactly what Watanabe had in mind or how the detective fit into the larger picture, although he had his suspicions – but as long as everything went smoothly, he decided that it would be okay to allow the other man to have his fun without too much interference.

Feeling better now that the initial shock had worn off and much calmer since he had decided on how to deal with the situation, the blond slowly let the scowl on his face transform into a barely noticeable smile.

Yes, he would let him have his fun – and he would have his.

Standing up and stretching, he wondered idly how Katsuya was doing, then decided, with a bit of disappointment, that he probably wasn't up to playing at the moment, and that he really should learn to pace himself better when it came to making his 'toys' last – at least, that is, if he wanted to keep from losing interest in this little drama before its actors all took their final curtain call.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and his smile grew bigger even as his dark amber eyes narrowed.

Why play with an old, broken toy when you could play with a brand-spanking new one that had nary a scratch – and put a certain smart-ass back down on the proverbial 'lower rung of the ladder' where he belonged at the same time?

With a dangerous glint in his eyes, Hirotaka exited the security room and headed toward the kitchen and the back service staircase that led directly to the second floor.

He was going to enjoy this.

瀬戸城が好き

Watanabe smirked as he stood behind the door in the foyer of the mansion, awaiting the imminent arrival of his unsuspecting prey with an almost animalistic delight. But that wasn't the only thing that made him want to lick his lips in anticipation. He had seen the look of disbelief in the blond's eyes at the detective's appearance – no matter how brief – and he couldn't help relishing the rush that had surged through him as he felt the delicate balance of power shift in his favor. It was blatantly obvious to him that the younger man had been caught unawares by the event – but then, he had no reason to expect otherwise. After all, even though they had spoken many times about his reasons for doing this and how they had come about, Watanabe had never told his criminal counterpart that Tanaka was still employed by Kaiba, or that they had been under his surveillance for the past two months. If he had, he was sure that his co-conspirator would have taken precautions against it and, unknowingly, tipped his hand – and he had waited far too long for this to have it messed up now, even if it was with the best of intentions. Besides, he grinned, even though he considered him as close to being a friend as one could have in this business, it never hurt to bring the cocky bastard down a peg or two just for fun. It added a little extra 'zing' of excitement to his day – and Watanabe had never liked being bored.

The firm knock coming from the front door announcing the detective's presence only served to make his grin widen as he fingered the butt of the small pistol he had concealed in his coat pocket. It seemed that things were about to get very interesting indeed, and he mentally drooled at the prospect. As the old saying went, 'revenge was a dish best served cold' – he just hoped that the man outside had a big enough appetite to handle what he had on the menu.

瀬戸城が好き

Honda paced the small bedroom like some caged wild animal, his features growing darker and more violent with each frenzied crossing until he was barely recognizable, even to himself. It was bad enough that the twin boulders of remorse and guilt that were balanced on his already heavily burdened shoulders threatened to crush him underneath their combined weight – add that to the frustration and rage that swirled around him like the winds of an invisible hurricane, and it was no surprise that the reflection that stared back at him from the slightly cracked dresser mirror looked less and less like the image of a typical teen-aged boy and more and more like the human version of an over-stoked and over-taxed steam engine that was ready to blow.

He growled, shaking his head like a grizzly bear that was trying to fight its way through a swarm of irate hornets as he stomped his way back to his original starting point, the hands at his sides balled into angry fists. No matter how hard that he tried, he still couldn't make himself believe that Yami and the others of the 'Yuugi-tachi' were willing to let Kaiba and his goons dictate what they should or shouldn't do about _anything_, much less a decision as serious as to what was to be done concerning their friend and the mess he was in. What he found an even more bitter pill to swallow, was the fact that they were treating _him_almost as if _HE_ were the bad guy – and the ingredients of confusion, outrage and downright betrayal, thrown into the middle of everything else that he was feeling, was quickly turning the mixture into an emotional stew that could only end up being the basis of a disaster in the making.

For some reason that the mahogany-haired boy's highly-stressed, hatred-hazed mind couldn't comprehend, the gang, behaving almost as if they were one entity, seemed to have turned their backs on their missing long-time companion and, at the moment, the hazel-eyed teen was thoroughly convinced that _he_ was the only one of the group who was willing, or perhaps able, to see through Kaiba's smokescreen to the _real_ reasons behind his so-called 'helpfulness'. He was sure that the brunet was just using his unfortunate friend – after all, knowing Jou, he would do everything in his power to protect Kaiba's younger brother, and the elder Kaiba knew it; _had_ to know it. Honda had no doubts whatsoever that once Mokuba's safety was assured, that the coldblooded, teenaged CEO would not only tell the amber-eyed blond to "Go to Hell", but would personally give him directions and buy him a one-way ticket south if it meant never having to be bothered by him again, no matter the price the other boy might pay for the privilege. He just couldn't fathom what the others were thinking – if he hadn't already been aware of Kaiba's negative attitude regarding magic, he would almost have sworn, judging from the way that they were acting, that he had put them all under some sort of evil spell – but whatever was going on, he wasn't just going to stand back and let it happen…

No way. No How. Not this time.

This time, whatever it took, he was going to be there for Jou, and woe-be-it to anyone who stood in his way, friend or foe alike. He wasn't going to let him down again – and he'd be _damned_ if he let Kaiba use him for his own evil purposes. If his other friends couldn't see the truth, then he'd save Jou without them.

Somehow.

Rummaging through his bottom dresser drawer, he pulled out a pair of brass knuckles, along with a blackjack, from underneath a pile of old work clothes. Leftovers from the days of bullying and gang-fights that had ended when he and Jou had befriended Yuugi, he had never thought to use them again – had never wanted to – and he wasn't sure just how useful they would be pitted up against the weapons that Jou's captors probably had. But they were all that he could get his hands on right now – his father had gotten rid of his grandfather's old gun ages ago – and he had no time, or cash, to 'acquire' anything else. He knew from the meeting earlier that Kaiba's personal Sherlock had a plan to get inside the house – _if_ he was successful, and _if_ they were busy dealing with _him_ and Honda could finagle a way in, then maybe he would be able to find Jou and get him out of there without having to confront anyone at all. He had to admit that there were an awful lot of 'Ifs' in the equation and, foolish or not, the pointy-haired teen found himself wishing that some of his best friend's 'luck' could rub off on him – at least, the kind that he seemed to have when dueling, anyway – just long enough for him to do what he needed to do. But, regardless of the difficulties that he might face, he wasn't about to back down now. Jou was in trouble and Jou _needed_ him.

Grabbing the keys to his bike from the top of the dresser, he moved out of the bedroom with a speed and determination borne more from emotion than logic, that part of himself that was warning him that this was a bad idea and that he should slow down, cool off and think things through totally drowned out by the other voice that was screaming in his head that he needed to make up for his earlier mistakes where his friend was concerned, and that thinking too hard about what could happen and all the little 'details' involved would just be a waste of valuable time.

Time Jou didn't have.

Making it to, and out of the front door of the small house faster than one would think humanly possible, he had barely closed it before a familiar voice brought him to a complete standstill, his fiery gaze locking with another set of blazing eyes as he straightened and turned to face the voice's owner.

"And just where in the _Hell_ do you think _you're_ going?"

瀬戸城が好き

Mokuba froze as he heard the footsteps stop in front of the bedroom door, his heart thudding in his ears as his stomach instantly clenched with fear. And even though his mind knew that as badly hurt as he was, that it was against all probable odds that Jou was even aware of what was going on, much less in a position to offer any help, he still found himself reaching for the blond's hand, searching for comfort, even if it was nothing more than a false hope created by a child's wishful thinking. Struck dumb with terror, his already enormous blue-gray eyes could only grow larger as he heard the lock disengage, and then watched as the doorknob began to slowly turn, as if the person on the other side was making a concerted effort for his movements not to be noticed.

The tiny spark of hope that this might be a weak first attempt at rescue quickly died as the door opened to reveal a face that he had never seen before, but found oddly familiar. He blinked up at the softly smirking man in confusion for a split-second, then his eyes widened even more as realization set in. This might be the first time that he had actually come face-to-face with him, but he knew without a doubt who this man was, and he clutched the hand that he held even tighter, desperation and fear causing his tiny frame to tremble uncontrollably.

The blond man's smirk only grew at the small boy's reaction, his eyes narrowing to tiny slits as his hungry gaze swept over the unblemished canvas before him. It had been so long since he had seen untouched innocence such as this. Had this child ever known pain – ever known want? He doubted it. His brother had shielded him – kept him from harm; fought to keep the cruel realities of life at bay, lest they mar the purity of his untarnished soul.

Hirotaka laughed to himself as he carefully closed the door, dark amber eyes never leaving the pale, frightened face as he made his way further into the room.

The poor fool.

What a wasted effort.

瀬戸城が好き

"OW! Damn it!" Otogi groaned, scrunching his eyes against the strong afternoon sunlight that was threatening to make his already throbbing head throb even harder. What was it about his face today that had people wanting to hit it, anyway? First Yami, and now Honda! Stifling another groan, the ebony-haired youth sat up slowly from his extremely uncomfortable horizontal position on a very public concrete sidewalk to stare with one pain-filled green eye at the spot where he had last seen his 'crazy' friend and noted, without surprise, that both he and his bike was now conspicuously missing. Sighing and rubbing at the knot forming on the back of his head, he muttered, "Damned idiot!", then grabbed the pole of the 'Limited Parking' sign in front of him to steady himself as he staggered his way back up and onto his feet, a disgusted look on his face. This was exactly what he had been afraid of and hoping to prevent – Honda had totally lost it – and there was no telling what he would do in the state of mind that he was in; present actions as proof of that fact.

Gingerly reaching up to touch his injured eye that was already badly swollen and starting to darken, he used his other hand to pull out his new cell phone, entering the number in with his thumb. It was answered almost immediately and he found himself wincing, not only because of the physical pain, but also because he was dreading the reaction that he knew was coming. The only good thing was that, unless a certain 'spirit' had somehow learned to physically cross the distance from the game shop to another location by way of the phone – and it wouldn't surprise him – thankfully, the only damage that would be done this time would be to his ears.

"Yuugi, it's Otogi. I need to speak with Yami. We've got a problem."

瀬戸城が好き

_He didn't know how long it was that he had been standing there, staring into those incredible eyes. All he knew was that the closer that he had come to the light, the more the pain had melted away and the safer that he had felt. Now, just a few steps away, it called out to him like a siren's song, from its midst invisible specters softly murmured promises of peace and rest and an existence without further pain – ghostly wisps chanted guarantees of uninterrupted sleep without nightmares or tears. And all he had to do, all that was required, was for him to reach forward and embrace its warmth. The only thing stopping him was…_

…_THOSE eyes._

_They held him in place with an unseen force, letting him drown in their bottomless depths as they regarded him with an emotion the likes of which he had never seen before and couldn't name; at least, not until the first tear made it way slowly down one delicate, pristine cheek. And then, it struck him._

_This was SADNESS._

_Absolute and never ending...Sadness…_

_Those eyes – the desperation and the LOSS that they contained had no measure. Soon, one tear became a flood, yet their gaze never wavered, as they seemed to reach out to him, silently pleading for understanding – for forgiveness – for what sin, and against whom, he had no clue. They spoke to him in ways that no voice ever could, and he felt his own heart break in response, the urge to somehow ease her torment making him forget his own._

_But what could he do? How could he help her? What did she want from him?_

_Who WAS she?_

_He watched as ruby-red lips formed words that appeared to have no sound, and yet he 'heard' the message they conveyed in the deepest part of his being with a surety and a clarity that made it almost seem as if they were being spoken by his very own soul._

'_Please, go back.' He heard them say._

'_They need you.' They cajoled._

'_Save them.' They begged, and suddenly he found himself falling as the world spun and the white light was once again swallowed up by the looming darkness._

瀬戸城が好き

Seto awoke from his exhaustion-induced slumber with a kink in his neck, his heart racing in his chest and a sour taste in his mouth. Blinking bleary eyes as he tried desperately to remember the nightmare that was quickly fading, he couldn't quite keep the details from skittering away, finding that as they disappeared, that they left nothing behind them but a rising panic and an indescribable feeling of dread that _something_ was about to go horribly wrong.

Bolting out of his chair, he shot forward towards his office door, ignoring the wave of dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him, his aching muscles – and the ringing phone – one thing and one thing only on his mind as fear suddenly squeezed at his heart.

"Mokuba…"

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**Chapter Eighteen** is now history – and it is also the turning point of this story, which will, undoubtedly, become much darker in content as our 'heroes' and 'villains' clash. Watch out as the sparks fly!

Also, the kind words that I have received from those who have reviewed my work have made this – and continue to make this – an enjoyable experience for me. It took me a very long time to gather up the courage to put a story on-line, but I am quite pleased with the results. Hopefully, with the help of my readers, my writing will only improve over time.

So, until next time, dear ones! Ja Ne!


	20. Ch 19 Trouble in Paradise

**Disclaimer:** What's 'black-and-white and read all over'? This stupid disclaimer (and my story, I hope)! I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but if I did, I'd be thumbing my nose at those lawyers right about now!

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**Chapter Nineteen "Trouble in Paradise"**

Anzu watched anxiously as Yami hung up the phone, his dark expression and smoldering eyes bringing out a timidness in her that only showed itself when the former Pharaoh got into one of his 'moods'; as Yuugi liked to call them. Although she was sure that he would never really hurt one of his friends, the raw energy and awesome power that radiated off of the small duelist's 'other self' during these times could be really intimidating – if not downright frightening – and she found herself pulling back, not wanting to do or say anything to upset him further. She had overheard his end of the conversation with Otogi after Yuugi and he had 'switched' places – it hadn't been hard to figure out from his reaction what had happened – and she was silently thankful that Otogi had had brains enough to call with his news rather than showing up in person at the game shop door; especially after she'd realized that Honda had pulled a 'Yami' and had been the second person to deck the unlucky CEO in less than a twenty-four hour period. Considering his already swollen jaw and the black eye that she was guessing that he now sported, the petite brunette doubted whether the ebony-haired teen could afford to take much more damage to that pretty boy face of his without suffering a major blow to his ego. It wasn't that she didn't like the emerald-eyed male – because she did – he had become one of the 'Yuugi-tachi' and a good friend; it was just that a boy who was more concerned with his looks than she and most girls that she knew, had a tendency to sometimes grate on one's nerves.

The fact that he _was_better looking than most girls that she knew was an irritating and unpleasant truth that she completely chose to ignore.

Following his conversation with Otogi, Yami had immediately tried to call and warn Kaiba about what was going on, and to inform him that the other gaming mogul had gone after their errant friend, hoping to catch him before he did something unbelievably stupid and the 'you-know-what' really hit the fan. They were all totally shocked, not to mention very confused, when there was no answer. Now, standing silently, Anzu found herself nervously wondering, as she watched one obviously furious Egyptian king pace the floor, what they were going to do next. It was Ryou, however, who spoke up; surprisingly, unlike the struggling dancer-to-be, the mild-mannered youth seemed to be completely blind to the Pharaoh's current state of heightened agitation.

"What on Earth could have happened…? Kaiba said that we could contact him at his office if necessary; so, why isn't he there? Why haven't we heard anything and what do we do _now_?" He 'eeped' loudly when Yami stopped and literally growled at him, having recognized just a little too late that perhaps _now_ was _NOT_ a good time to be asking so many questions of the disgruntled ancient ruler. White hair flying, he disappeared quickly behind Anzu, his by now huge brown eyes blinking fearfully over her shoulder. "Sorry! F-forget I asked!" He stammered apologetically, watching with some confusion as Yami's eyes suddenly widened and his cheeks flushed. It was Anzu who figured out that Yuugi had apparently chastised his 'darker self' for frightening the gentle-natured teen – she made a mental note to ask him later what it was that he had said that could have made the normally unflappable monarch blush so, then realized that if it were capable of doing _that_, that Yuugi wouldn't be sharing it with _her_ anytime soon. The thought had barely faded before it dawned on her that the eyes staring back were now a beautiful shade of amethyst, although the flushed face still remained.

"Sorry about that." Yuugi mumbled, the pink over his cheeks deepening a bit. "Yami's a little out of sorts right now – he really didn't mean to scare you, Ryou – he's having a hard time with all of this. I may be his 'partner', but Jou is _his_ best friend, as well as mine; and feeling so helpless is just not in his nature. He doesn't know how to react; he gets frustrated and _that_ makes him angry."

"O-okay…" The doe-eyed Britain hesitantly agreed as he slowly emerged from his hiding place behind Anzu, "…point taken. So, what do _you_ suggest that we do, Yuugi?"

"Something must have happened to make Kaiba leave his office – and it would have to be related to what's going on – knowing him, nothing else would have been able to budge him from that spot, short of the world coming to an end." The spiky-haired teen mused out loud, with a thoughtful frown.

"Do you think that the kidnappers finally contacted him?" The brunette spoke up, a worried look on her face as she chewed nervously at her bottom lip. "Could that mean that the detective's plan didn't work – that he wasn't able to get inside the Estate?"

Yuugi sighed. "Anything's possible, I suppose; but _why_ Kaiba left is _not_ the most important thing that we need to know at the moment. What we really need to know right now is _when_ he left and _where_ he was going – the _why_ can wait until later."

"Well, we may not know _why_ and we may not be able to find out _when_, but _where_ he was going should be obvious, if you think about it."

Yuugi looked at the other boy glumly, his normally angelic expression shadowed with disappointment as he nodded, the truth showing plainly on his face that he was none too pleased that simple logic had brought them both to the same conclusion. Anzu looked from one to the other blankly, then suddenly gasped as it dawned on her too where the missing CEO was likely headed.

"But…he can't! It's too dangerous! Why would he do something so reckless…?"

Yuugi shook his head. "It doesn't matter – we need to catch up with him first – and then, depending on what's happened, we'll decide what to do next. Look, if there's one thing that I've learned about Kaiba through all the duels that we've had, it's that he _never_ does anything without a reason. He may not be the easiest person to get along with, but I've come to trust his judgment. And believe it or not, so has Yami."

Standing up straight and pulling her shoulders back, Anzu nodded firmly. If that was the way Yuugi felt about it, then that settled the matter for her. "All right, then. How do we find him?"

Ignoring the question completely, the large-eyed duelist glanced up at her with more than a tiny bit of trepidation before gathering his courage to speak what was on his mind. "Uh…Anzu…? Yami and I…well, we both think…maybe it would be safer if you…"

"No way…!" She interjected before he could finish. "There's _no way_ that you're leaving me behind. Jou's my friend, too – remember?"

"But, Anzu…" He stopped in mid-sentence as she frowned at him, and then sighed, shaking his head. He knew that look all too well. "All right; but Yami says that he still wishes that you'd reconsider." Even as he passed the Pharaoh's message along, he knew from experience that they were both fighting a losing battle.

"Sorry." The petite brunette said, bending down. "But where _you_ go, I go, Yuugi." And with those words, she leaned forward and deposited an all-too-brief, feather-light kiss on the shorter teens cherubic face, before straightening and racing, rather red-faced herself, out of the room. Yuugi stood motionless, wide-eyed with disbelief, his cheeks quickly going from a rosy pink to a blazing scarlet. Then, ever so slowly, his lips curled upwards into a small, silly grin. He didn't get to enjoy the feeling of euphoria that Anzu's unexpected 'gift' had induced for very long, however, as he was abruptly brought crashing back to Earth by a very hesitant and rather apologetic voice.

"Um…Yuugi…? I really hate to spoil the moment, but shouldn't we get going?"

Blinking rapidly, Yuugi turned towards the quiet youth, his face taking on an even deeper shade of crimson as the sudden realization hit that the event that had just transpired had had TWO unwanted witnesses – friendly ones, but unwanted just the same. Giving a light chuckle as he self-consciously rubbed his hand through his unruly hair, the small duelist tried his best to laugh his way around the embarrassing situation. "Oh…Ryou... Um…right. Sorry."

Ryou only smiled back at him, with a bemused light glinting in his suddenly not-so-innocent eyes. "Don't mention it." He replied, and then added with a devilish snicker and a mischievous wink, "Heaven knows, I won't!"

瀬戸城が好き

Sitting quietly in the shadows of his 'soul room' where he had quickly retreated after his hikari's much-deserved scolding, Yami couldn't stop the knowing smirk that slid across his handsome features as he 'heard' Yuugi's silent groan, or hide the gentle amusement that seemed to temper the perpetual hardness always lurking just beneath the surface in his fiery eyes. As usual, even in the worst of times, he could always count on his aibou to bring a smile to his face and light into his darkened world. The boy's enthusiasm and sweet innocence were a never-ending source of strength for the weary spirit and he had sworn to do everything in his power to shield that innocence from anything that might cause it harm; and he could think of nothing worse than for the young duelist to lose those things that he counted as most precious to him – his grandfather – or one of his friends. These were Yuugi's 'treasures', and in turn had become his, as well. He, who had lost everything, who existed only as an enigma – a dark phantom trapped within a shiny, golden shell – had been accepted and welcomed by these unique and generous souls, and none had done so as happily or as _unquestioningly_as Jounouchi. Was it any wonder that he held a special place in both their hearts?

Yes, Yuugi was right – he _was_ frustrated, and he _was_ angry – but he was also fiercely determined. Determined to save Jou…and determined that those who had caused him so much heartache and pain would pay.

And pay dearly.

瀬戸城が好き

The front door wasn't overly ornate, but it certainly wasn't plain, either. Tanaka wasn't sure what kind of wood had been used in its construction, but from its size and appearance, he knew that it was definitely solid, and it would take much more than just a few men to remove it from its hinges, if push-came-to-shove. Its fine, hand-carved details and rich, dark finish spoke of obvious wealth, but the work was so tastefully done that he couldn't help the soft smile that graced his lips at the thought of the young man who had, obviously, taken great care and pride in its selection.

He had been intrigued by Seto Kaiba even before being hired by the gaming genius. While many had warned him that the youth was nothing more than a cocky, arrogant 'whiz kid' who was obsessed with perfection, and an absolute terror to work for, he had made it a point to look beyond the hype and had found that there was much more to the teenaged business tycoon than one would first imagine. If one observed carefully, and without prior bias, it was easy to see the truth – especially when the highly aggressive CEO 'switched gears' to deal with anything that had even the remotest possibility of affecting his baby brother in any way, shape or form. And when watching him interact face-to-face with the younger Kaiba, only a complete deaf, dumb and blind idiot would have been unable to see that the elder Kaiba was wrapped firmly and securely around his little brother's finger – or the fact that he didn't seem to mind being there – _not_ in the least. What was not so easily seen until one had been around him for a while, were the scars that he kept carefully hidden from the world behind that cold, uncaring mask that he usually wore – but then, he wasn't the only one in the world who carried scars, or the only one who wore a mask to hide them.

Frowning, Tanaka forced the stray thoughts away as he reached for the circlet of the heavy antique-brass, Lion's-head door knocker, rapping it twice against the underlying strike plate with a firm hand. He wasn't surprised that the door opened almost before the sound had a chance to fade – what did surprise him, however, was the way that the hair rose on the back of his neck as he saw the face of the man that had been his ever-so-elusive quarry for the past two months close-up and in person for the first time. It was the eyes that drew his attention – black, cold, soulless eyes – whose depths did not reflect the smile that touched the man's lips as he stepped aside to let the detective pass.

"Do come in – Mr. Tanaka, isn't it? Let me first apologize for the earlier misunderstanding; then, if you'll be so kind as to follow me, I'll show you to Mr. Kaiba's private study. You can wait for him there." The older man gave a slight bow; his dark eyes never leaving the young detective's face as his smile slowly transformed itself into a self-satisfied smirk. "I'm sure that you'll both have much to discuss when he arrives. We wouldn't want you to be disturbed; after all, _unplanned_ interruptions can be so…distracting – not to mention, inconvenient – don't you agree?" Not giving him a chance to reply, he closed the door, and then turning his back on him as if he were dismissing his very existence, glided smoothly down the three black-marble steps that were the architectural dividers denoting the end of the foyer and the beginning of the grand reception area of the recently refurbished mansion, throwing a belated "Come this way" over his shoulder almost as if it were an after-thought.

Tanaka found himself bristling angrily at the man's cocky attitude, while at the same time fighting desperately to stave off the sudden panic that flooded through him as a cacophony of alarm bells went off in his brain. _Damn, damn and damn, again!_It was beginning to look as if Suichi had been right all along. The now _extremely_ irritated private-eye wasn't sure which possibility annoyed him more, that the teacher's intuition was on the verge of being proven correct, or that his adversary either believed that he was so stupid that he didn't know what was going on or knew he _did_ and still felt confident enough to 'toy' with him, and to flaunt the fact that he was doing so right to his face.

None of the possibilities gave him cause to jump for joy.

With wary steel-gray eyes watching the taller man's back, he deliberately made it a point to follow a few steps behind Watanabe as they made their way across the vast expanse of the reception area towards the open doorway that gave first-floor access to the interior of the mansion, which Tanaka knew from memory included the private study that the other man had mentioned. Centered between identical double staircases, he made a note as he stepped through the opening that the doors, even though they had been recently replaced, were still mostly for show – they were sturdy enough, but they were pocket doors that slid back into a recess in the wall and were meant only to ensure the proper amount of privacy, not safety. He stored the information away for possible use later, and continued to try to alternately scan his surroundings and keep a cautious eye on his 'host' as he led him towards the back of the house and their final destination. He had been at the Estate a few times in the course of his employment with the teenaged billionaire, but not since the renovations had been started – any advantage or disadvantage the restructuring might have wrought could end up being critical – after all, what was easy to break into was usually, by the same logic, easy to break out of. It all depended on which side of the wall that you were on and which direction that you wanted to go.

"Here we are." Watanabe's announcement broke the strained silence, his seemingly polite manner and innocuous words conflicting sharply with the sudden disdain that saturated his voice. Coming to a stop in front of the study door, he turned to face the detective, his left hand falling to rest lightly on the door knob while his right hand slipped unnoticed into his coat pocket. "You should be comfortable enough here until Mr. Kaiba arrives. If you want, I suppose that I could make you some tea – the normal household staff won't be back until Monday – and I'm afraid that my kitchen skills are rather…limited…so that's the best that I can offer."

"I'll be fine. I wouldn't want you to go through any trouble on my account." Tanaka was surprised by the frosty tone of his own voice as he answered; he couldn't help it – he didn't like the man, after all – but his minute slip caused the other man's eyes to narrow dangerously and an almost seductive smile to ghost across his lips.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I make it a point never to do anything that doesn't somehow benefit me in one way or another. Besides, I'm sure that Mr. Kaiba…" he said, emphasizing the 'mister', "…would want me to do everything in my power to see that you are well taken care of."

_You bastard!_The thought barely had time to register in the detective's brain before a near-deafening scream split the air – a terrifying sound that was like nothing that Tanaka had ever heard before or, he instantly decided, ever wanted to hear again. Somewhere between a snarl, a screech and a banshee's death wail, it caught both men off guard, causing the detective to involuntarily spin around and drawing both his and Watanabe's attention upwards. Even as his body was turning, Tanaka's mind was furiously shouting at him to stop – telling him in no uncertain terms that he had just made a very costly mistake. But it was too late. As the cold metal of the other man's gun connected with the back of his head, and the world faded into black, his ability for coherent thought vanished right along with it; but not before the last two were filed away for safe-keeping – destined to become bittersweet memories for later remembrance – if there was a 'later'.

The first had been to wonder if he was ever going to get the chance to see Suichi again, to apologize for being such an arrogant, dim-witted fool.

The second had been much, much shorter and even more heartfelt in its simplicity.

…Gods, he hoped so.

瀬戸城が好き

Bringing the convertible to a rolling crawl, Otogi quickly scanned the side streets leading off of the main thoroughfare with a well-practiced eye – after all, they had been playing Honda's ridiculous version of hide-and-seek for nearly half-an-hour now, and the 'Dice Master' had been afforded multiple opportunities to glimpse the back end of Honda's emerald-green motorbike as it vanished around the corner of a building – usually into some narrow, trash-filled alleyway where a car couldn't follow – only to have it reappear a moment later just ahead of him on the main road as if nothing had happened. He couldn't figure out what the other teen was up to – both of them _knew_ where he was heading, and he was sure that Honda _knew_ that he was being followed – so, either his pointy-haired friend just plain sucked when it came down to shaking a tail, which he highly doubted knowing the brunet's and Jou's shared history of outrunning street punks and angry gang members, or _he_ was missing something very obvious.

Swearing under his breath, the highly-irritated teen sped up again as a car horn honked angrily behind him; 'flipping off' the driver without looking, he found himself wishing a scant few seconds later that he could somehow just disappear as he came to a stop at a red light and the other car pulled up alongside, revealing a somewhat elderly nun who was busy giving him a very disapproving glare. Sliding partway down in his seat, the ebony-haired teen could only groan. It might be true that he was an agnostic, but just because he didn't hold with any certain religion didn't mean that he believed that it was a good idea to piss off whichever god, or gods, might be up there taking notes – especially _not_ at a time like this. Remembering his swollen jaw and black eye at the last second, he only partially turned to face her, managing to 'mouth' a quick "Sorry, Sister" before the light changed. He caught the nod of her head and answering smile out of the corner of his eye just as his attention was drawn forward again by a flash of metallic green shooting out from a side alley three cars in front of him, causing him to let out an exasperated sigh.

"Here we go, again."

瀬戸城が好き

Gripping the steering wheel in white-knuckled frustration, Seto mashed down even harder on the gas pedal, watching as the gauge on the dashboard registered the abrupt jump in speed almost instantaneously. His logical brain told him that it was an extremely stupid idea to be going this fast on anything other than a race track – his heart, however, said that no matter what the number read on the fancy speedometer in front of him, it still wasn't fast enough to get him to where he needed to be at the moment, and that was at Mokuba's side. It was true that Mokuba had been in a dangerous situation from the very beginning, but somehow Seto knew that something had changed – drastically, and _not_ for the better – and the feeling of urgency he felt to get to him and to get to him _right now_ was so overpowering that even his abnormally skeptical mind, with its sneering disbelief in, and disregard of, anything unexplainable, raised no objections to his uncharacteristic behavior, its prickly voice uncommonly silent. That only served to fuel his fear even more, the burning desperation that he felt flowing throughout his body becoming a smoldering fury that turned his normally icy eyes into twin chips of blazing cobalt fire.

He had managed to somehow miss getting caught up in the middle of the late afternoon traffic – whether by pure chance or good timing, he wasn't sure and he couldn't care less – but at the rate of speed that he was traveling he did consider it fortunate; for everyone else, that is. Whether he had to go around, under, over or through, there was no obstacle that could be set in his way, man-made or otherwise, that was going to keep him from his little brother – not _now_. As far as he was concerned, the entire world could go to Hell for all he cared. And if those maniacs had hurt Mokuba, he would personally see to it that they followed close behind – although, after he was through with them, he doubted whether Hell would feel much like a punishment or more like a long-awaited reprieve – eternal damnation would be the least of their worries, that was for sure.

And then, there was Jou. The brunet hadn't forgotten about him – he had been deliberately trying _not_ to think about the other boy – trying to push away the disturbing thought that if he were right about Mokuba, and he was sure that he was, then that could only mean that something bad had happened to the blond. After all, the stupid 'mutt' would never permit any harm to come to the younger boy if he could help it. Now, as the thought forced its way up from the dark depths of his mind where it had been banished, Seto felt a strange and unfamiliar emotion grab at his heart. Whether it could be called despair, or remorse – or something much deeper – he wasn't sure. All he knew was that, as the unnamed feeling slowly died away, what was left in its place was a heaviness that made his chest ache with an uneasy sense that he might have just lost something that was priceless and truly irreplaceable before he had even had the chance to experience it. And if that were the case, he had no one to blame for it but himself. He would one day come to regret the "wasted time and missed opportunities" because of his "misplaced arrogance and stubborn pride" – that was what Mokuba had once told him during one of their many arguments involving his treatment of Yuugi and the 'Yuugi-tachi' – especially where it concerned Jou. He had laughed at the very notion then.

He wasn't laughing now.

Gritting his teeth against the sudden stinging in his eyes, for the first time in his life Seto Kaiba found himself desperately _wanting_to believe in – _needing_ to believe in – the idea that magic could be real…

…And luck.

…And fate.

…And second chances.

瀬戸城が好き

Safely hidden from view in the darkened side alley, Honda watched with grim satisfaction as Otogi's convertible sped off – tires squealing – yet again, in the wrong direction. His plan was working perfectly, thanks to a little help from an old _acquaintance_ from his not-so-nice past whom he still ran into occasionally. In a few minutes, said friend would be leading the 'Dice Master' on a very merry chase even deeper into the heart of Domino City – hopefully, by the time the raven-haired CEO figured out what was really going on, it would be too late to try and put a stop to what the other boy was planning.

Koji and he had switched bikes just minutes after he had left home – it had merely taken a quick call on his cell phone to set it up, and he had the perfect incentive to make sure that the other boy agreed; after all, everybody knew that the pampered, emerald-green scooter was the brunet's 'baby', and was off-limits to everyone but a select few. He had had no trouble convincing his associate to help him once the teen had realized that the main perk of the deal was getting to spend the afternoon actually riding the damn thing, not to mention the fact that it would be giving him something that he could boast about to his other friends for months to come. He had been a bit suspicious, though – especially since the hazel-eyed teen had refused to tell him what was going on that was so important that he would be willing to risk his most valuable possession falling into someone else's grubby hands even for a millisecond, much less a good portion of a day. But the ex-gang leader hadn't pushed too hard – after all, the opportunity that had presented itself was unlikely to come around again and he hadn't wanted to take the chance of screwing it up.

That was exactly what Honda had been counting on.

Revving the motor as Otogi disappeared from sight, the brunet was startled out of his thoughts by the angry blaring of a horn and a flash of red as one sleek, and very expensive, sports car went hurtling by at an almost death-defying rate of speed – but not so fast that it kept Honda from seeing who was driving, the recognition drawing an animalistic snarl from the back of his throat even as he took off in hot pursuit, one question and one question only on his already heavily stressed out mind.

_What the hell was that rich bastard up to NOW?_

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**Chapter Nineteen…finally!** Hi, guys…I'm back! It's been a long four months; for both of us, I'm sure. I apologize sincerely. They switched my computer at work from a Mac to a PC (which means I had to relearn everything I thought that I knew) and some of my files didn't convert (bet you can't guess which ones, huh?). Then I injured my right arm pretty badly and had to go into intense therapy, so Fate was just conspiring against me, or so it seemed, anyway. But now, I'm back! I hope the chapter doesn't disappoint! Ja Ne!


	21. Ch 20 Paradise Lost

**Disclaimer: **I am purchasing the rights to 'Yu-Gi-Oh' through a monthly installment plan. I should have them paid off just about the same time that Hell freezes over. In case you didn't know, that is what is known as 'sarcasm', folks.

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**Chapter Twenty "Paradise Lost"**

Mokuba hurriedly filled his burning lungs with much-needed air, wiping at his watering eyes with the back of one hand as he sat, Indian-style, on the blood-flecked plush-pile carpeting of his brother's bedroom floor. Fighting back the dizziness caused by oxygen deprivation, he wasn't _exactly_ sure what had happened. All the boy knew for certain was that one moment, he was a prisoner in the clutches of a total psychopath who seemed intent on choking the life out of him – holding him up in the air like some pitiful rag doll, sneakered-feet dangling, laughing as he was slowly strangled by his own tee-shirt as it twisted and tightened around his neck – and the next, he was hitting the floor, nearly deafened by an eerie, soul-wrenching keen that sent shivers down his spine, the child-like thought flashing through his brain that he had wandered into some sort of bizarre nightmare world and was being punished – though what he could done that was so awful that he deserved such heavy-handed treatment remained a total mystery.

As his vision finally cleared, he could only blink in horror at the sight that met his wide no-longer-so-innocent soft gray eyes. It was as if he and the flaxen-haired teen had performed a macabre magic trick and switched places – now, it was Jounouchi gasping for air as he fought in vain to loosen his father's death-grip, clawing at his own throat with frantic hands as the man's face transformed itself from one of perverse delight to one warped by an almost insane fury.

Mokuba watched as Hirotaka Jounouchi literally _spat_ at the younger blond; his words cruel, voice dripping with loathing and disgust. "As I've told you many times before, _Katsuya_ - I won't tolerate _disobedience_ from anyone - _especially_ not from _you_ - an insignificant…" He paused, punctuating each phrase to follow with a correspondingly brutal strike to his son's already bruised and bloodied face.

"…totally weak and pathetic fool…" _Slap!_

"...who's an unnecessary waste of space…" _Slap!_

"...and who's outlived…" _Slap!_

"...whatever small amount…" _Slap!_

"...of usefulness he might..." _Slap!_

"…ever have had." _Slap!_

The preteen continued to watch in stunned disbelief as the man slowly tightened his grip, blanching as the captive adolescent continued to flail helplessly against the steadily increasing pressure, the older blond's dark amber eyes turning almost black with a demon-like satisfaction as he watched his only male heir's life slowly begin to drain away. The terrified younger boy, chalk-faced and saucer-eyed, could only stare in shock, totally unaware of the tears beginning to stream down his face as his friend's desperate struggles grew weaker and weaker with each labored breath and each futile attempt to break his father's ironfisted hold. Finally, giving a low growl and with a nasty sneer pasted on his face, the monster delivered his final parting words to his close-to-comatose offspring. "It's time to say 'Goodbye'…_SON_."

"NO! Jounouchi…!"

It was as if someone had physically doused the CEO's younger sibling with a bucket of ice water. Forced from his stupor by the older male's murderous intentions, Mokuba quickly flipped to his knees and launched himself at the man, turning his small body into the human equivalent of a cannonball, raven-hair flying as he barreled head-long into the elder blond's lower extremities, trying his best to use his speed, weight and a solid impact to best advantage, only to give an anguished cry as he was easily flung halfway across the room with a sharp kick of the man's leg. He had no more than hit the floor before he was bounding up again. It was true, Seto _might_ be a genius, but he hadn't received _all_ the brains in the family; realizing now that he wasn't heavy enough or strong enough to do any _real_ damage, the boy tried another tactic, determined that this time when their bodies met that his efforts weren't going to be so easily thwarted. Quickly grabbing hold as they collided for the second time, he wrapped his arms and legs around the much bigger man's thigh and held on for all he was worth, as his friend's father viciously shook his leg and repeatedly struck out at him with his free hand, trying his best to dislodge the irritating _'parasite'_ that was now stubbornly clinging to him for dear life. What occurred next, however, was something totally unplanned, but very, _very_ effective.

Closing his eyes and gathering his courage, the younger Kaiba opened his mouth and lifted his chin...

...and bit him.

…_HARD._

And in the most _sensitive_ place that he could reach…

Four things happened almost simultaneously.

The target of Mokuba's improvised attack roared out in pain and fury, dropping his barely breathing captive who, like a sack of wet sand, fell to the carpeted floor below with a heart-sickeningly heavy thud. As a result, the raven-haired boy lost his grip and fell as well. Landing on one shoulder, he barely managed to roll out of the way as a well-placed boot came crashing down chillingly close to his head.

Then, before any of the bedroom's occupants had a chance to take another breath, the door exploded inward, slamming hard against the wall to reveal a grim-faced Watanabe, his dark eyes blazing with black fire, the gun in his hand pointed directly at the elder Jounouchi.

Red-faced and snarling, the blond's eyes narrowed dangerously as they scanned over the form in the doorway, barely noting the look on the other man's face before coming to rest on the weapon in his hand. "And just what the _Hell_ do you think you're doing, Watanabe?" He asked, not bothering to try to hide the acid in his voice, nor the pain that still gripped him, "Shouldn't you be downstairs tending to our _visitor_?"

"I could ask you the same thing...what the Hell do you think _you're_ doing?" Watanabe bit back, his lip curling in disgust, "I don't care what you do with that boy of yours, but the Kaiba kid is off-limits; at least, until we get what we came for. After that, you can do _whatever_, and I won't say a word – I'll watch and even do a _'Happy Dance'_, if that's what you want, but your _fun _is going to have to wait. We've got bigger fish to fry at the moment."

瀬戸城が好き

_It was all his fault; all of it._

_HE was the cause of all of his family's pain and suffering. HE was the one who'd ruined everything._

_He was barely sixteen when the world as he knew it came crashing down around his feet, and he was powerless to stop it. All he could do was to stand back and watch as his parent's marriage fell apart – watch as his family's once happy home was turned into a verbal battleground of insults and accusations; transformed into a surreal world of loud and angry voices heard from behind closed doors and oceans of tears that couldn't be wiped away. He could only stand back in disbelief, the uncertainty on his own face reflected back at him in the wide, frightened eyes of his brothers and sister as they watched the security of their existence unravel._

_He had never meant to do anything wrong. He was just your everyday, typical run-of-the-mill teenage boy with an elder brother on his way to college, a sometimes bossy older sister, a tag-along younger brother, average grades and what he considered a small, but strong circle of friends. He had never given it a thought – had never even suspected it – that he might be different somehow than everyone else._

_Not until that fateful day._

_Not until he met...HIM._

_Tachi was a transfer student and a year older. Outstandingly brilliant in all academic subjects, the gifted high school sophomore had also been blessed with his father's athletic abilities, as well as his mother's stunning good looks. With straight shoulder-length dark brown hair that shone like the finest of silks and rich chocolate-colored, almond-shaped eyes framed by the longest, most incredibly delicate lashes – not to mention a smile that could light up a room, if and when the very reserved young man could be persuaded to overcome his shyness enough to produce one – it was no wonder that most everyone found themselves completely enthralled by their new classmate. And, as if that wasn't enough, they all quickly found out that the 'inside' was just as beautiful as the outside – the sixteen year old was a gentle spirit who had a kind and generous nature – one who thought that the fact that he came from a well-known and rather wealthy family was a privilege, not something that was to be taken for granted and squandered or used as an excuse to 'look down his nose' at others._

_To the majority of his schoolmates, he was a wondrous creature, to say the least._

_In Tadashi's eyes, he was nothing short of walking, talking 'perfection'._

_Of course, his friends noticed his reaction to the boy – how could they not - and teased him about the bad case of 'hero worship' he was suffering from. Tadashi, or 'Dash' as he was known to most, took the good-natured ribbing in his usual easy-going manner, and was absolutely delighted when a mutual friend introduced him to the popular upper class man, saying that it was about time that they met since they had so much in common._

_And they did._

_He was stunned to find out that they liked the same kind of music, the same type of movies – in some instances, even had the same 'favorites' – and it didn't end there. The similarities continued right on down to the kinds of foods that they liked – or didn't like – to their favorite color._

_It wasn't long before they were inseparable – wherever Tachi was, 'Dash' could be found, as well. Both sets of parents were delighted, and Tadashi's sister, Kirei, never one to be shy, gushed like old faithful whenever the boy was in close proximity; much to her brother's great embarrassment. But even an infatuated older sister failed to put a damper on their steadily growing friendship – instead, it became a running joke between them and a source of much amusement._

_All in all, Tadashi had to admit that times were good._

瀬戸城が好き

Mokuba sniffled softly, absentmindedly rubbing his left shoulder as he sat cross-legged next to Jounouchi on the carpeted floor of Seto's bedroom, his blue-gray eyes studying the unmoving form that now lay handcuffed on, and to, the heavy iron, four-poster bed. He didn't know the man's name; he did, however, remember that he worked for his brother having seen him at the mansion before, and that in-and-of-itself, had a calming effort on the younger Kaiba. In his still somewhat childish mind, he firmly believed that his big brother knew that he was in trouble – _somehow_ – and had sent help until he could get there himself; and make no mistake, the raven-haired preteen believed _wholeheartedly_ that his beloved brother would rescue him, even though logic might dictate otherwise. He had to believe, for his sake and Jounouchi's. At the moment, _belief_ was all that they had.

The man moved, moaning slightly. Apparently, he must be dreaming. Mokuba hoped that it was a nice dream – because when the man awoke, he knew that reality for the both of them, and Jounouchi, wasn't going to be quite as pleasant.

瀬戸城が好き

_Things had been perfect. Life was simple. Time was measured in the day-to-day routine of going to school, doing homework and hanging out with his friends and Tachi – and really, who could ask for more?_

_All too soon, autumn had turned into winter and winter into spring. The browns of the Earth began to turn to green; the trees began to leaf and song birds returned to warble their merry tunes, building their nests anew for the next generation to come. Males, of all species, eyed their female counterparts with a gleam in their eye and a spring-in-their-step – none more so that those of the human persuasion. Young gentlemen with blushing cheeks did their best to impress the young ladies who had caught their eye, while the lasses fluttered their lashes and tried to act modest; whether they were or not. It was a centuries old dance replayed all over the world – something that all young men should look forward to..._

_...their first 'crush'._

瀬戸城が好き

Seto had driven to a public-parking garage located within a few blocks of the Estate; throwing his keys and an unknown amount of cash from his wallet at the startled attendant, he hadn't even taken the time to close the car door. Hitting the ground already on-the-run, his long legs flying, he began eating up the distance between himself and his desired destination at an almost inhuman pace.

It was true. He could admit it. He _was_ in a panic – a very _controlled_ panic. But that did _not_ mean that he didn't have a plan.

During the 'Big Five' fiasco, when Yuugi was supposedly dueling his _'ghost'_, Pegasus had found out about the secret, underground computer center that had been installed on the grounds right before Gozaboro's death; the silver-haired dandy had backtracked the computer virus that the CEO had downloaded to weaken one of his own 'Blue Eyes White Dragons' in order to help the diminutive duelist win the game and prevent the takeover of Kaiba Corporation. Later on, Pegasus's cronies had trashed the place looking for him – not that it made a difference. Once its existence was known, its usefulness was at an end anyway.

What no one knew besides himself,_ not even Mokuba_, was that there was _another_ underground computer center – one _he_ had installed – it was smaller, but just like the first, it also gave access to the Manor, this time through a tunnel that ended at a secret door leading into the study. And yes, just like in the old murder-mystery movies, the door _was_ hidden behind a rather nondescript looking bookshelf; Seto had always been rather fond of old black-and-white movies and had found using the idea – for lack of a better word – _entertaining._

The computer center itself was located on the grounds just behind the wood-let of Cherry trees that Mokuba loved so much – the very grove where they had spent the day together picnicking after he had purchased the bike for his doted-on little brother. That day had become one of his most treasured memories, one of the few that he could look back on with fondness. Today, thinking on it _hurt –_ it wasn't the particular memory itself, but the grim thought that reared its ugly head that it could possibly be the _last_ memory that he would be able to make with his cherished sibling – _if _things didn't turn out well.

_Like Hell it will be!_ Savagely, the brunet's mind counteracted its previous thought_, _leaving the beleaguered teen growling in annoyance at the mental debate that was going on inside his own head. _Enough already! I don't have time for this! _He picked up speed.

Not far behind, Honda flipped down his helmet visor, and put the bike in gear.

瀬戸城が好き

_It was his birthday._

…_His __**sixteenth**__ birthday._

_He had had a party with all of his favorite foods and cake and all of his friends had been there – including Tachi._

_And there had been games..._

_...and music..._

_...and presents..._

_...and laughter..._

_And then it had gotten late. One-by-one his friends had disappeared until it was only the two of them left._

_That was when it had happened._

_That was when Tachi had leaned over and given him a sweet, and innocent kiss on the cheek._

_There was no fanfare, no trumpets blaring – but that one little act turned Tadashi's world inside out, upside down and sideways..._

_Because it was at that moment that he realized that he was in love..._

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**Chapter Twenty! **Finally! My _sincerest_ apologies to all my readers...It has been over _four years_ since I updated this story...

I did _not_ forget about it – unfortunately I became extremely ill over that time period, and no one could tell me what was wrong. Writing had to be put on the wayside. The whole mess finally culminated in me ending up in the Emergency Room in April, 2009 on the verge of death, where I underwent two emergency surgeries on two consecutive days (they were not sure whether or not I would survive the first) and then two months in the hospital going back and forth between step-down acute care and ICU. After that, came rehab for two months relearning everything from dressing myself, to how to walk. I am still recovering; I am home-bound now, and living with my Aunt. I am using a walker, and for shorter distances, a cane – and I am on oxygen. But from where I started from (not being able to move _at all_), this is a _VAST_ improvement!

I won't promise a 'new chapter every week', but I will promise...barring any further major 'health issues'...that it won't be another four years between postings! Until next time! Ja Ne!


	22. Ch 21 In the Eye of the Storm

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any of the other 'gazillions' of animes that I have the DVDs of...if I _did_, would I be doing _this_?

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**Chapter Twenty-One "In the Eye of the Storm"**

"Gotcha…!" Otogi smirked as he threw the car into park, effectively blocking any exit from the harshly-lit dead-end alley that contained a lone, helmeted figure, along with one _very_ familiar green bike. Grinning from ear-to-ear, the teen CEO leaned lazily on the driver's-side door, his chin resting on his arm, and watched as the form stood, slump-shouldered, but unmoving against the back wall of the bricked-up alleyway. Honda had sure led him on wild goose chase, but if he thought that he could get away…

The ebony-haired boy's grin faded into a frown, his vibrant green eyes narrowing as his blood cooled from the heat-of-the-chase and his brain kicked back into high gear. _Something __wasn't right_ – now having the time to really think, Otogi realized that Honda knew the streets of Domino like the back-of-his-hand; after all, he had run with Jounouchi for years – there was _no way_ that he should have been able to corner him like this. The frown turned into a sneer of self-disgust as another realization hit him – 'Honda' had already been off the bike when he'd arrived – _waiting for him._

"Damn it!" He snarled as he sat up. "Honda, you stupid bastard…!"Grabbing his cell phone, he hit speed dial. "Anzu…listen…"

瀬戸城が好き

Seto had _finally_ made it to the wall of the Estate located behind the grove of Cherry Trees. Climbing the wall was going to be tricky, but it wasn't impossible with the rough stone – if he needed to, he could even use the Cherry Trees themselves – several of the limbs were growing out over the wall and into the main street. He made a quick mental note to fire the gardener – and to double his severance pay.

Taking off his expensive Italian leather belt and his silk tie, the brunet formed a loop with the belt and knotted the tie on the loop to form a sort of 'tail'. Catching the top of the wall where the wrought iron spikes ran, he reasoned that he could use the tie to pull himself partially up until he could grab a tree limb. Not the best of plans, but workable. Once he was over and in, the job would get simpler; at least, where accessing the underground computer room was concerned, anyway.

He had already checked the street and found no one about; but, just as he was going to toss his somewhat scandalized version of a lariat, he heard a voice from behind him that had his hackles rising.

"What are you up to _now_, Rich Boy?" Honda's exaggerated _drawl_ grated on his nerves, and had the teen genius turning around in frustration, giving a glare to the other brunet that was frosty enough to freeze an Eskimo in his tracks.

"_That _should be _my_ question…what the _Hell_ are you doing _here_?" He fumed, waiting for an answer…and wasting valuable time.

"You're going after Mokuba." Hazel eyes narrowed as he spoke, leaving the CEO's question unanswered.

"Of course I am!" Seto snapped.

"And what about Jou…? Are you just going to leave him behind?"

"Of course not…!"

"And just _how_ were you going to get them _both_ out …by _yourself_?"

_Shit._ Taking a deep breath to cool his anger, the unusually-frazzled teen thought about the question. Much to his chagrin, he had to admit that he _could_ use some assistance, but he would be _damned_ if he was going to ask the other boy for it. "You wouldn't happen to have any constructive suggestions, would you?" It was said with a snarl, and was the closest he could come to asking for help without laying the vestiges of his pride out for everyone to see.

Hazel eyes blinked; and then blinked again. Then a slow smirk crawled across Honda's face. _Ah, how the mighty had fallen!_

"I _might_ have an idea or two…"

"Then I suggest that you get on with it. Timing is crucial here."

"It means me coming along…can you deal with that?"

"Hn…" Seto returned the smirk darkly, turning his back on the other boy and tossing the 'lariat' again. "Just don't get in _my_ way." With that said, he was up and over the wall.

瀬戸城が好き

_Suichi sighed. "I'm sorry. I have no right to try to tell you what to do. I don't know what the hell's the matter with me." He ran his hand through his hair nervously, looking everywhere but at Tanaka. "I just…I just have a bad feeling about this…and I…I…"_

"_You… what…?" Tanaka prodded, suddenly very, very close. His breath ghosted over Suichi's ear, his voice so soft, rich and deep that the younger man's breath caught in his throat and a strange shiver ran the entire length of his body. Swallowing hard, he fought to find his own voice again._

"_I don't want anyone else to be hurt." He swallowed again before he added, "I don't want YOU to be hurt."_

_If he had been looking at the sleuth, he would have seen the, at first, shocked, then pleased expression that crossed his face, and his beautiful gray eyes glowing with a warmth that would have shaken the younger man._

瀬戸城が好き

Making it to the hatch for the underground tunnel had been rather easy. Hidden by the grove of trees as it was, no one could see the pair of them even if there were a camera pointed squarely in their direction. And the pointy-haired teen kept up with the unbelievably, but undeniably-fit CEO surprisingly well; Seto was thanking whatever deity, or deities, that were watching over them that the other boy was also _silent_ – of course, it was at that time that Honda decided that he had been quiet long enough and that _conversation_ was in order. _So much for deities, _Seto thought ruefully.

"So…I didn't figure that you would come alone on a mission like this. Where are the 'dark glasses and suits'?" Honda kept his voice light – after all, being 'nice' to the _bastard_, at least in the current situation, _might_ be a good thing.

Seto snorted. He felt no such compulsion to be amicable toward the other brunet, but decided to answer the moron's question and take him down a peg or two. "I employ _them_ for the same reason that I _might_ employ _you_ – for their 'brawn', not their 'brains'." He noted, with smug satisfaction, the other boy's answering glower. "There's only _one_ 'suit', as you put it, that I would have felt comfortable having come with me, and that's Isono. Unfortunately, he's out of the country at the moment, tending to some important business for the company. If I left it to those other brainless idiots, they would have stormed through the mansion like a herd of rouge elephants."

"Why employ them, then?" Irritation laced Honda's voice; and he didn't try to hide it this time. Seto laughed inwardly at the reaction. He was so _predictable_.

"Intimidation, of course; it works – don't you agree?" He smirked evilly, and with great satisfaction, when Honda only replied with a growl.

瀬戸城が好き

A whispered sigh; then a low, drawn-out groan.

Finally, honey-eyes blinked open; unfocused at first, they slowly cleared as awareness returned, along with forgotten pain.

Jou moaned, his eyes squeezing shut again against the throbbing agony that was his body. The first coherent thought that ran through his brain was that all he wanted was for the darkness to take him back, dreams aside, so that he couldn't feel the pain any longer. Unfortunately, his grumblings had been heard and he felt the uneasy weight of a small hand land on his shoulder and a shaky voice in his ear.

"Jounouchi…?" Mokuba swallowed hard around the lump in his throat. He really didn't know how bad the other boy had been injured – oh, he could see the bruising and the swelling on the exterior, but even he knew, at his young age, that the blond could have injuries _inside_ that were much more dangerous. Moving might not be such a good thing, but it might…no, it _would_ become necessary at some point. The question that arose, snaking like the wispy vapor trail of a passing jet across his mind's eye; was moving even possible for the older boy? The thought scared him more than he wanted to let on.

Closing his eyes again and trying desperately to wet a mouth that seemed to be mimicking the Sahara Desert, the blond managed to cough out a breathy, "Water…" He heard the eager boy gasp, then a hurried "Sure!" as the younger Kaiba bounded up, leaving his line of vision as he sprinted toward the bathroom. There was the brief sound of running water, and shortly thereafter Jounouchi felt a blessed coolness on his burning forehead. He couldn't help the little smile that pulled at his parched lips.

"Can you sit up a little, Jounouchi?" The raven-haired pre-teen asked worriedly as he moved the half-full water glass that he had brought along with the washcloth closer. "I can't get you a straw and I don't want you to choke."

The blond groaned wearily and very slowly rolled onto his left side, grimacing as the wet washcloth slipped with his movement to land sloppily upon the carpeted floor. Taking a deep breath, and with Mokuba's help, he used his left arm to push himself up, while the younger boy tugged gently on his right until he was sitting somewhat straight. The older teen found himself hit with a bout of dizziness and nausea – he had to wait for a few seconds before opening his eyes again. When he did, the first thing that he saw was Mokuba's worried face…and the water he was holding. Reaching out with both hands, he grasped the glass and downed the contents almost in one gulp.

"More?" The blond nodded at the question and was rewarded very shortly by a full glass being shoved under his nose. Drinking slowly this time, he let himself actually savor the sensation as the filtered liquid soothed his burning throat. He couldn't help the mental smirk when the wayward thought coursed through his mind that only _Kaiba _could afford, and only Kaiba would _demand_ having his own water purifier hooked up directly to the house plumbing…

Pushing the random thought away, he forced himself to focus on taking 'inventory'; experimentally wiggling his fingers and toes then, one by one, carefully moving each arm and leg. It hurt like hell, but he noted, with some satisfaction, that no bones seemed to be broken. Mokuba watched his routine in silence, the vague question burning in his eyes as to how many times the blond had done this very same thing to be able to do it with such practiced ease. The younger boy's stomach churned as he noted that the teen did it almost as naturally as he did breathing. The thought made his stomach clench – _hard_. Jounouchi noticed the grimace that crossed his face.

"Ya don't have ta look so scared, Mokuba." The blond's voice held a confidence he really wasn't feeling. 'Der ain't nothin broke – a few bruised ribs, a couple of sprains, a black eye, split lip and a bitch of a headache – other dan dat…"

"Jounouchi…" The dismay in the raven-haired pre-teen's voice was unmistakable. Jou sighed, heavily.

"It's nothin dat I haven't dealt with before. Don't go feelin sorry for me, okay? It won't help. It will just make you feel bad and me worse."

"But…it's not _fair_…it's not _right_…" The younger Kaiba couldn't stop the tears from welling in his eyes at the older boy's bravado – how long had this abuse been going on right under everyone's noses – and why hadn't Jounouchi asked for help?

"Yer right…it's not right and it's not fair. It's just the way it is." Jou spoke the words softly, "Believe me when I say dat I wish it were different, but…" He grinned, ruefully. "Ya see where wishin got me, huh?"

"We can help! Seto…"

Jounouchi shook his head vehemently. "NO. Don't go dere, Mokuba." He blanched at the boy's grief-stricken expression. "Look, your brother doesn't like me; not one bit. He never has. I don't know why; dat is just another t'ing dat I quit tryin to figure out long ago." _Another wish not granted. _"I don't see it changin anytime soon, and the last t'ing dat I need is to make it worse…" _Although, after what my Dad pulled, I don't see how dat could happen._

A low groan from the direction of the bed drew his attention and had the fair-haired teen blinking twice. There was someone else in the room with them? Since when? "Who's dat?"

Mokuba took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "I don't know his name. I know that he's been to the mansion a couple of times, and that he works for Seto in some capacity, but I'm not sure exactly how." He humpfed. "I'll bet he'll wish that he'd called in sick today when he wakes up…"

Jounouchi chuckled at the dark humor coming from the normally light-hearted boy. Playing along, he quipped, "If he's smart, he'll ask Kaiba for hazard pay – who knew workin for a gamin company could be so dangerous?"

Mokuba's mouth dropped open at his statement. "Are you kidding me? Jounouchi, where have _you_ been for the last _two years_?"

A sudden, unfamiliar voice made them both jump. "Could you two be a little quieter – I have one hell of a headache and you're _so_ not helping."

"Sorry." Mokuba spoke up, when he was able to find his voice again, making his way to the side of the bed.

"Mokuba…" The warning for the younger boy to not get too close was so evident in the blond's tone that Tanaka had to smile to himself. "You don't have to worry, Jounouchi. Handcuffed the way that I am, I couldn't hurt him even if I wanted to. Besides, I very much doubt that his brother would be very happy with me since I was sent here to get the both of you _out_ of the current situation; safely and in one piece."

"Ya mean get _Mokuba_ out, safe and in one piece." Jou corrected, tersely.

The other man remained silent only for only a split-second before replying, his voice firm. "NO, I _said_ exactly what I _meant_ to say – Mr. Kaiba made it a point to stress BOTH of you, Jounouchi. He named you, _specifically_."

Jou sat there, stunned. _Kaiba had_ _mentioned him? _"He…he did?" The true confusion and the little-boy-lost sound in the blond's voice struck a chord in Tanaka's heart – did he really think that the brunet would have him rescue his brother and leave him behind?

"Jounouchi?" Mokuba drew his attention, a pained expression on his young face. "I know that you think that my brother doesn't like you…" He rushed on, cutting off Jou's reply and watching him snap his mouth closed as he went on to say, "…But he would _never_ do that – he would never rescue me and leave you behind. Seto may be emotionally constipated, but he's not a _monster_."

Jounouchi blinked; then, blinked again. On the third blink, he couldn't stop the laughter that suddenly bubbled its way up from somewhere deep inside. Where had _that_ come from? Emotionally constipated? The ridiculous images those words brought to his mind of a red-faced Kaiba , cheeks all puffed out as he stressed and strained didn't help – the force of his laughter doubled and re-doubled until it was almost maniacal – and then, just as suddenly, Jounouchi was sobbing as though his heart were breaking. All the stress and the pain and the worry, the lies and the terror; all the weight of so many things that had been laid on his much-too-thin shoulders for far too long had become just too much to bear.

Tanaka's jaw clenched as he listened to the uncontrolled sobs coming from somewhere near the foot of the bed, his chest tightening painfully. The boy was no more than six feet away and at the moment all his heart wanted him to do was to pull him close – to ease the pain somehow. Of course given the circumstances, _that _wasn't possible and he felt the anger that he had pushed back earlier rearing its ugly head. Mokuba began to panic as he watched his friend curl in upon himself, desperately trying to disappear from the world. He didn't know what to do; how to help and it scared him. He was _this close_ to losing it himself, when Tanaka's voice cut through the fear-thickened air like a life-line.

"Mokuba, I need you to do something for me…"

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**Chapter Twenty-One! **Believe it or not! No, I am _not_ dead! I have had some setbacks, but I still survive! Go me! Next chapter should be a rousing one, in more ways than one. And that's all the hints that you're going to get (more like a riddle, huh?) so don't ask! I hope that I still have some readers out there…somewhere…maybe? Hello?


	23. Ch 22 Decisions, Decisions

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, the Sun or the Moon or the stars up in the sky. Wait a minute, isn't that a song line? Oh, yeah – 'Stormy Weather'! Is there a theme going on here? Hmm…I dunno…maybe…

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**Chapter Twenty-Two "Decisions, Decisions…"**

A lone figure sat in the stylish, black Miata roadster, staring at, but not really seeing, the keychain lying in the palm of his hand.

_As they had been leaving the detective's apartment, the sleuth had handed the teacher the keys and quietly requested that he drive. The brown-haired man had only looked at him in confusion until the other had shrugged and smiled and went on to explain that he wanted him to drop him off – that since he wouldn't be needing the car and his was on the blink, it only made sense that he use his while he was 'otherwise engaged'. _

_It was a very kind and very thoughtful gesture. _

_Suichi had wanted to hit him._

_They had ridden to the Kaiba Estate in an uncomfortable silence, Tanaka stealing glances at the younger man every few minutes from the unfamiliar trajectory of the passenger seat, while he had kept his attention focused on handling an unfamiliar car, the road and the late-day traffic and trying to quell the unsettled feeling in his stomach. He had been desperately trying to put a name to the strange sensation all afternoon. The only one that had come to him that really seemed to fit – that actually described what he was feeling – had been 'butterflies'; and that had sent him into a semi-panic. The few times that he had ever seen or heard the word used in context with emotions, it had always been associated with first 'crushes' and 'teenage angst'. That had brought up disquieting questions that he wasn't sure that he was ready to explore the answers to. He had quickly tamped the fragmented thoughts back into his subconscious, forcing himself to concentrate solely on the 'here-and-now'._

Sitting in the 'two-seater' in front of his apartment building nearly three hours later, those very questions that had been bouncing around in his head earlier were back, clamoring for his attention and demanding that he address them, whether he was ready or not.

Growing up, he had never questioned his sexual orientation. Being painfully shy when he was a child, he'd kept his nose in a book most of the time, which made experiencing the normal stages of puberty rather difficult. As he had grown older, and overcome some of his shyness, 'socializing' had gotten easier, but with everything that had gone on in his life – first, the death of his parents, then his brother – and all the many troubles, trials and tribulations that had come after each of those events, playing the 'dating game' had remained low on his list of priorities. Sure, he had had _dates_, but they were few and far between and nothing had ever come of them; he had gotten a few good meals, seen a few decent movies, but mostly had found his companions, pleasant but…forgettable. There had never been any serious flirtations, memorable 'good-night' kisses… or consecutive dates.

Now, forcing himself to really examine his past forays into romantic relationships, he had to admit that the real reason that they hadn't gone anywhere lay in the fact that there had never been any real attraction_. There had never been that 'spark'._ Nonchalant about the matter at the time, he had always just chalked it up to a 'misconnection' or 'bad karma'.

It had never occurred to him that the root cause for his lack of interest might be the sole fact that they were_ female_.

Not until he had met Tanaka.

Now, sitting there in the falling darkness, Suichi could still smell the other's cologne that permeated the leather, could remember the richness of his laugh, the warmth of his breath and the shiver that it had sent down his spine and everything fell into place.

The first epiphany was bad enough.

It was the _second_ one that terrified him.

瀬戸城が好き

"What can _I_ do?" Mokuba hurried over to the side of his brother's bed, frightened eyes darting back to his blond friend whose deep sobs seemed to be tearing him apart from the inside out. "Will it help Jou?"

"It will help all of us. I want you to pull off my left shoe." Tanaka watched as the raven-haired boy froze in disbelief.

"Huh? Pull off your _left shoe_? How is _that_ supposed to help?" Attention caught and curiosity aroused, his earlier alarm seemed to quickly drain away and the younger Kaiba stood, lips pursed, silently demanding an explanation.

The detective smirked, wondering somewhere in the back of his mind if Seto had been like this when he was Mokuba's age. "You'll see. Just _do it._"

"Okay." The boy huffed as he did what Tanaka requested, and then raised an expectant brow. "Now, what…?"

"You need to remove the heel."

Frowning, Mokuba looked around the room until his eye caught sight of the ornate letter-opener lying on his Oniisama's dressing table. A stickler for order, it was unusual for Seto to have anything related to work, other than his laptop, in the bedroom. He remembered, vaguely, as he crossed the room to retrieve it, that the older Kaiba had stated, rather proudly, that it was a Christmas gift from a favored business associate; crafted of fine silver and plated in Rhodium, the opener was made to resemble a sword, the hilt of which held the shape of one of the Blue Eyes White Dragons, with wings spread wide and Ceylon blue sapphire eyes that sparkled in the light. He'd apologize for using it…later.

Quickly, he went to work; prying the heel off after a few tries, he was amazed to find that it was hollow, and that curled inside was a strange metal coil with a loop on either end.

"What's this…?"

The detective could hear the wonder in his voice. "Believe it or not, it's a metal saw. Now, listen carefully. I want you to get a glass of water. After you do that, I want you to wet the _middle_ of the coil. You will need to keep it wet. Then you're going to use it to cut through the chain on the handcuffs."

Mokuba blinked. "Can't you just pick the lock or something?"

Tanaka laughed lightly. "That only works on Television, in cheap 'B' movies or bad short stories. Even _Escape Artists_ hide the keys to cuffs somewhere close by when they use them in their acts, and they're _pros_. As for me, I'll work at getting them _off_ later. For now, I just want to get _loose._" For emphasis, he tugged slightly with his arms, drawing the boy's attention to where the cuffs kept him shackled to the bed.

"Put his shoe back on first."

The quiet voice made them both jump. It was then that they each realized that the frenzied sobbing had ceased while they had been focused on the task-at-hand and that Jounouchi had been listening in on their conversation.

"Jou…are you…okay, now?"

The blond sniffled. "Yeah…I'm sorry about dat. I guess I needed to let off a little steam, huh?" Watery, apologetic amber eyes looked up into concerned slate-gray.

The raven-haired boy took a deep breath, and then smiled down at his friend. "That's okay, don't worry about it." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "What did you mean about putting the shoe back on?"

"It's goin ta take ya a while to cut through dose chains. If someone comes ta check up on us, we don't want dem findin it like it is now. Put da heel back on and put it back on his foot." The older boy explained slowly, each word spoken taking a supreme amount of effort as exhaustion began to set in. "We don't want anythin ta be out of place or funny lookin ta draw der attention..." Having given this last bit of advice, his voice faded into a soft mumble as his eyes slowly slid shut.

Mokuba nodded. "I get it." Opening his mouth to ask another question, he realized with a start that Jounouchi was already asleep. "That was fast." He grumbled, and then with a heavy sigh, he turned back to the waiting detective for further instructions.

瀬戸城が好き

It had taken Otogi nearly thirty minutes to wind his way back to the Kame Game Shop, _after _his 'enlightening' conversation with _Koji_. The dark-haired pretty-boy had been looking forward to throwing a few punches the others way in order to get the information that he wanted – relieving a little stress and giving Honda a well-deserved payback, in a round-about way – and had been greatly disappointed when the smirking ex-gang leader had merely shrugged and proceeded to spill-the-beans before he could even lift a pinky finger in threat.

Then, after thinking it through, the teen CEO had decided that maybe that was a _good_ thing, after all; he really didn't want to spend the next week or so going around looking like a raccoon…

Finally pulling up into the parking lot of the Mutou's gaming store, he found the others of the Yuugi-tachi impatiently waiting for him and he silently groaned.

_This_ was going to be pleasant.

"Well…?" Anzu spoke up first, looking at him expectantly with a heavy frown on her face as they all crowded around the car. "What's going on?"

"We were right. Honda went after Jou, just like we thought he might." Otogi groused, "The idiot made a deal with an old _buddy_ to lead me on a wild goose chase and throw us off the trail."

"_Us…_?" Ryou questioned pointedly, with a raised eyebrow. "Don't you mean _you_?"

The dice-master grimaced at the tone. Sometimes, you could still catch a glimpse of the 'spirit of the ring' in the white-haired British boy – true, it was an occasional odd gesture here, or a spoken word there –and it was _surely_ just a holdover from being the phantom's 'vessel' for so long; but even knowing that the ghoul was long gone and would never be back, it was _still_ creepy. Throwing away that Ring had been _one_ good thing that Honda had done…back when he was actually _using_ his brain.

"If you want to be _technical_ about it…yeah, I _suppose_ I mean _me._" He answered, with a sigh. "From what you had told me, I thought that he and Jounouchi had gotten away from the gang-influence, but apparently Honda kept in touch with a few of Domino's _finer citizens._ He even let the bastard ride his bike – he's _serious_ about this, guys. And that could mean _real_ trouble."

Yuugi glanced up at Otogi, his amethyst eyes clouded with worry. "We need to get to Kaiba's. We were going to take the bus – Honda left the keys to his father's van, but none of us have a license…"

The CEO shook his head before he could finish. "Don't say another word, Yuugi. I'll be glad to take you there. In fact, I _insist_. I have a few things that I want to say to that _meathead _when we find him – and when I _do, _the three of you just _might_ want to cover your ears."

瀬戸城が好き

Sometimes in life, you have to take a gamble. You close your eyes, throw the dice and hope that the number that comes up will be worth the bet that you laid down. Usually the odds are against you, but every once in a while, if you take enough chances, your number will come up…

Suichi had never taken many chances. Even now, he was wondering if he could dismiss everything that had happened in the past few days and return to the status quo of his ordinary, mundane life with its firmly drawn parameters and boring safety.

It was tempting; _very _tempting.

That was what his head was telling him to do.

The trouble was his heart wasn't listening.

It was telling him to except the truth; to throw the dice and see where they landed.

It was a scary proposition, to completely makeover one's life and one's self, but the more that his head tried to convince him that this was a dangerous road to travel, to walk away and forget the whole thing, the heavier his heart became until it was a dull ache in his chest that had his vision blurring and his body shaking.

It was then that the detective's face flashed across his mind's eye, and the breath that Suichi was struggling to find through his abrupt tears suddenly became easier to draw.

And he decided the _decision_ wasn't a hard one to make after all.

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**Chapter Twenty-Two! **Wow! This one was a hard one to write! I kept going over it and over it, changing words and sentences…I was even _dreaming_ about it! I hope the next one is easier…whew!


	24. Ch 23 Confliction

**Disclaimer: **私が所有していない遊戯王が 私は多くのそれで遊ぶよ! (Translation: _I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh but I do play with it a lot!_) I thought that it might be less boring in the Japanese language…no such luck…

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**Chapter Twenty-Three "Confliction"**

It had taken Kaiba only thirty short seconds to enter his personal code, get clearance and pop the hatch open – unfortunately, having never had cause to use the installation since it was built, it had taken nearly fifteen _long _minutes, with both of them searching in the near pitch black, to find the switch for the lighting – even then, the roughly-hewn and cramped tunnel leading to the small computer complex was only dimly lit. Displeased, Seto had been internally kicking himself for not having paid closer attention to the architectural plans when it was being built – true, he had had much more _important_ matters on his plate at the time, but _still._..

While unconsciously making a mental checklist of the changes that would have to be made, the brunet had forged ahead in the semi-darkness, trying very hard to ignore the steady and unrelenting passage of time, and the burgeoning anxiety, rapidly becoming a heaviness in the pit of his stomach, that he was taking far _too_ long in getting where he needed to be.

His nerves were already sitting on a razors' edge. And keeping 'company' with the '_Rhino Boy_' hadn't been helping…

_They had only managed to make their way a few hundred yards into the structure when the constant sound of dripping water, now coupled with a strange rustling noise and faint squeaks, had made Honda stop short._

"_Rats."_

_Mildly startled, the teen CEO also stopped, turning around to frown at him in irritation. "What…?"_

"_Not __**what**__…Rats…you have __**Rats**__."_

"_Of __**course**__ there are Rats. This is a __**tunnel**__. Rats __**live **__in tunnels." Seto snorted. "__**So**__?"_

_The brown-haired boy frowned. "I don't __**like**__ Rats, okay?"_

_Blue eyes had narrowed dangerously. "Tell me, if you're frightened of a little __**rodent,**__ what use will you be to me when we come up against something far more dangerous?" Pulling his shoulders back until he stood ram-rod straight, he'd let a look of disgust slide across his face. "If you're going to cut-and-run, I'd prefer you do it __**now**__. I need someone who will cover my back if I need it, not stand in the corner and __**wet**__ their pants."_

"_I said I didn't __**like**__ Rats…I never said I was __**scared **__of them…" Honda shot back, his own expression darkening. "If I was, I wouldn't be here with __**you**__, now __**would**__ I?"_

_The brunet had scowled, his temper flaring. He did not __**like**__ this boy. He never __**had **__and he never __**would**__. "How __**un**__original…you've just proven my earlier point about your employment qualifications." He'd fired the next volley in a voice that had held so much acid it could have melted titanium. "__**Who**__ would have ever __**guessed**__ that it was __**Jounouchi**__ that held all the __**brains**__ between the __**two**__ of you?"_

"_Why you lousy __**bastard**__…" The double-insult had had Honda immediately seeing red. He'd managed to make a fist and draw his arm back, but before he could throw the punch, the sound of a single gunshot had reverberated dully through the tunnel. Both teens' eyes had widened as they froze, hearts racing and ears straining, each trying to catch any further sounds of possible oncoming danger as its echo quickly died away. After a minute or so, when none had come, the string of tension had broken; the heat-of-the-moment having been cooled by the sudden scare, both boys made the unspoken decision to leave the matter lie…for now…_

Facing away from the other male, already back on the move and several steps ahead, the CEO finally said out loud what they both had been thinking. "We'll settle this…_later_…" He promised flatly; his mind in a whirlwind and filled with questions. _Where had the shot come from? Who was shooting…and why? And what…or whom…were they shooting at? Mokuba…Jounouchi…were they all right?_

"You're _damned_ right we will!" Honda snapped back in confirmation, and then took off in a light sprint to catch up, cursing under his breath about '_having idiots for friends_', '_hating Rats_' and '_bastard CEOs with long legs_'.

瀬戸城が好き

In the end, they had decided to take the van instead of the 'Dice Master's' car. The four of them – Anzu, Yuugi, Ryou and, of course, Otogi – would have fit very comfortably in the classic convertible, but the Brit had pointed out, in a soft voice and in a matter-of-fact manner, that coming back they would have _more_ passengers and would need the extra space…

…At least, that's what they were hoping...

Yuugi had been especially quiet. Sitting next to the window with Anzu by his side, he had been observing the passing scenery and conversing silently with Yami. His 'other self' had been adamant that they switch places when they arrived at Kaiba's. When he had asked why, he had been told that it was to keep _him_ safe; Yuugi had reminded his counterpart gently that they _shared_ a body – if Yami got hurt, so would he, and vice versa – it couldn't be helped. After that, Yami had retreated to his soul room and been silent.

Sitting there thinking, Yuugi was sure that what Yami had told him was the truth…just not the _whole_ truth.

He wasn't the _only_ one that the spirit was concerned about.

The undersized duelist knew that the brunette dancer was attracted to his 'dark-half' – how could she not be – and he was also well aware that the attraction was _not_ one-sided. He supposed that he should be jealous…maybe he _was_ to a small degree…but he just couldn't bring himself to begrudge the Pharaoh this _tiny_ snippet of _life, _this reminder of what it meant to be a _living_, breathing _person_…

…However painful it might end up being…

…For the _three_ of them.

He had often wondered what it must have been like…_felt like_…to know that no matter what _you_ wanted; no matter _your_ dreams, _your_ wishes, _your_ hopes… that in the end, it all meant _nothing…_that _you_ had no future…because _your_ life was forfeit for the '_greater good_'… A life that had only barely started; after all, Yami really couldn't have been much older back _then_ than Yuugi was now – and to have it come to such a tragic end! Sure, they didn't have all the details…yet…but for the spirit of the ruler of Egypt, someone believed to be a _living God_, to be imprisoned in a puzzle? Whatever had happened…well, such a _catastrophe _must have been _huge_. _What_ could have happened…_what_ would it have taken to convince him to give up his _life_… his very _soul_…perhaps, for all eternity?

It was a conundrum almost impossible for the shorter boy to wrap his mind around.

And if Yuugi had been in his place, what would _he _have done? _Whatever _had happened, he wasn't sure if _he_ could have…_would_ have made the same choice. He wasn't sure if _he_ would have been brave enough…_strong_ enough…

"Yuugi…?

Startled out of his deep thought, he turned to face the young girl sitting on his left. "What's up?"

Shaking her head, Anzu focused her periwinkle blue eyes on the angelic face she so loved, a soft smile settling on her lips. "Nothing…you were just spacing out. Talking to Yami, again?"

"Uh, no…I was just thinking, that's all."

"Well, don't think _too_ hard…you'll give the _Pharaoh_ a headache." She teased him lightly, leaning down until they were touching foreheads, "And _he's_ been grouchy _enough,_ lately."

"Anzu…" The smaller boy couldn't help the giggle that snuck out or the slight blush that erupted on his cheeks.

Well, he might not be _brave_…and he might not be _strong_…but he _knew_ he was _cute…_

And the way he figured it, as long as he had his Grandpa…and Yami…and his friends…and Anzu…

_Especially _Anzu…

_That _was all right.

He could live with cute.

瀬戸城が好き

Hirotaka grasped the arms of the wing-backed chair with white-knuckled hands, body rigid and jaw clenched; he glowered at Watanabe, his dark ocher eyes tracing the tiny wisp of white smoke that still drifted in the air. That, along with the gun in the other man's hand and the corresponding bullet hole in the wall behind him, halfway hidden by one of the study's many bookshelves, was the only tangible evidence left of what had transpired in the room not long before. He'd made the mistake…a _big _mistake…of deciding that he would take the chance and bring up the subject of the detective after all…

The other man had _not_ been _pleased_…

And that was putting it _mildly_…

Watanabe, lounging opposite him on the study's antique sofa, smirked sadistically, his own gaze just as deadly. "Don't question me in the future. I had my reasons for not telling you about the 'gumshoe'. _That_ information was on a 'need-to-know basis'…and _you_ didn't _need _to _know_…"

_Didn't need to know, huh? And just what __**else**__ are you hiding?_ The _second _thought left a sour taste in the elder Jounouchi's mouth. Out loud, what he asked was much less likely to get him shot. "Gumshoe…?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow, forcing himself to relax and to keep his tone light. "You been watching too many old movies, or what?"

The older man wasn't fooled by his apparent acquiescence, but decided it wouldn't hurt anything to play along. "As I told you once before, _Mr._ Kaiba and I have _many_ things in common…the love of old movies being one of them." Getting up from where he was seated, gun still pointed in his 'partner's' direction; he motioned with it for the other to stay where he was at. "I'm going to check on our _guests._ I'm sure that they heard all the commotion…We wouldn't want them to be _upset _and get the _wrong_ idea…now, would we?" The smile on his face held no humor as he opened the study door; never taking his eyes off of the younger male, he backed out of the room, turning the key in the lock, even as the blond sprang up from the chair, trying to catch the doorknob.

He was too late.

His mistiming and the familiar sound that he'd heard had Hirotaka cursing loudly.

That _bastard_ had locked him in…

瀬戸城が好き

In the midst of working on the chain of the handcuffs with the wire saw when the shot rang out, Mokuba had stilled immediately, his own wide, terror-filled eyes meeting those of calm, steel-gray. After a minute or so had ticked by and no more were heard, Tanaka broke the silence, neither his face nor his voice betraying any of the frantic debate he was holding in his head as to what might have happened to cause someone to discharge a weapon on the grounds…an act that could possibly bring the authorities running; which, at the moment, would _not_ be a _good_ thing. "You'd better put that away for now…hide it under the mattress where you can get to it quickly. You can get the leftover metal filings up with a damp washrag. Then go sit with Jounouchi." The younger Kaiba nodded; sliding off of the bed, he lifted the coverlet and sheet, shoving the coiled up saw in-between the pillow-top and box-spring, elbow-deep. Once he had smoothed the linens back into place, he took the glass of water from the bedside table and walked quickly to the bathroom; pouring out the silver-stained liquid, he washed the glass, set it on the white marble sink and grabbed a washcloth from the antique vanity. He had barely had time to wet it, turn off the tap and swing around to start to make his way back into the other room, when the sound of the bedroom door being unlocked had him freezing in his tracks…

瀬戸城が好き

"Stop…! Stop the van!" Ryou's voice rang out, startling everyone. He had been sitting across from Anzu and Yuugi looking out the other window when something had caught his gaze.

"What's going on? Why are we stopping?" Otogi brought the van to a halt even as he asked; pulling smoothly over to the curb, he put the vehicle into park and turned the key in the ignition, twisting his head around just enough to see the teen out of the corner of his eye.

"Over there…isn't that Coach Okawa?" The white-haired youth, a frown on his face, pointed at the fancy, black roadster with a single occupant that was sitting in front of a rather nondescript building, two lanes over. "Although, I don't think that's his motorcar…"

"Damn, you have _good_ eyes." The other shook his head as he stared out the driver's-side window. "And you're right, that's _not_ his car…it belongs to that detective."

"Why would he have Mr. Tanaka's car?" Anzu asked before she thought, then winced when Otogi turned to give her a rather skeptical look.

"Well, it's not like he would _need _it at the moment…_is it_?" He wanted to kick himself immediately when he saw the hurt expression on her face. _Damn_! He was _tired_. He'd had a _very _rough day; even so, he shouldn't be taking it out on her, and he knew it. To his surprise, before he could even take a breath and open his mouth to utter an apology, the normally genteel Yuugi called him on it.

"Don't you _dare _talk to her that way…she was only asking a question!" The spiky-haired 'King of Games' snapped back, eyes ablaze with purple fire; the only thing Anzu managed to do was to flush a deep, scarlet red. Otogi, blinking, swore that his friend had grown two inches _taller_ as he spoke; it almost had him doing a double-take, wondering if somehow he had missed '_the switch_'…

_Nah…_

"Sorry, _Yuugi_…Anzu…Look, I'm going to go talk to the Coach and see what's up. Maybe he can settle a few things…that alright with you guys?"

Huffing, Yuugi crossed his arms and turned to stare out the window, while Anzu merely nodded. Glancing over at the other boy, he was about to ask him the same question; it was the _smirk_ on his face that stopped him.

_Mr. Creepy was back…_

"Uh…never mind…" He muttered under his breath, and then louder, "I'll be back in a few."

With that, he was out the driver's-side door – slamming it shut – dodging on-coming traffic as he jogged across the street.

瀬戸城が好き

"This is it…"

The brunet's pronouncement of their arrival at their long sought-after destination was as understated as its entrance; blinking in confusion, the other boy could only stand and stare.

Whatever Honda had been expecting, it certainly hadn't been _this_…

There was no set of spectacular futuristic sliding doors; no 'James Bond-esque 'gadgets that 'scanned' your eye or 'read' your thumb-print – there was nothing to even _suggest _that what lurked behind the rough stone were _supposedly _some of the most powerful, high-tech computers in the country…

The brown-haired teen couldn't help feeling a bit…_disappointed…_

Kaiba, on-the-other-hand, was feeling a growing excitement, which was interspersed with many other emotions; concern, anger, remorse, regret…

And _hope_…

Most of all, with hope…

If it had been done correctly, he knew this setup would give him access to the entire security system; he would be able to get information on the kidnappers' whereabouts using the cameras that were hidden sporadically throughout the estate grounds and the mansion itself. And, if he were _lucky_, he might even be able to catch a glimpse of Tanaka, Mokuba …or Jounouchi…

…_If I'm lucky…? The 'mutt' is rubbing off on me. _He couldn't help the slight twitch upward of his lips. _I'll have to tell him about that…later…_

His lips twitched down.

…_Much later…_

瀬戸城が好き

To say that Suichi was surprised would have been an understatement. He nearly jumped out of his skin when the ebony-haired teen tapped him on the shoulder.

"Otogi…? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question, Coach." Raking over the sleek vehicle with an appreciative eye, the owner of the 'Black Crown' contemplated for a split-second about purchasing one in the near future; filing the thought away for later, he brought his gaze back to the teacher. "I hate to say it, but _this_ car and _that_ building really don't go together, if you know what I mean."

Suichi snorted. "You're right…they _don't_. I couldn't afford a car like this on my salary if I worked until I was a hundred." Frowning, he sat up straighter in the seat. "You still haven't answered my question – _why_ are you here?"

Otogi sighed. "_We_…" he pointed across the busy street at the avocado-green van full of teenagers, "…are _here_ because we are on our way over to Kaiba's place…" Before he could finish the sentence, the brown-haired male literally exploded.

"_What…?_! Are you _crazy…_?" He fumed, jade-green eyes sparking dangerously. "There is _no way_ that I am allowing you kids anywhere _near_ that estate! _You_ were given instructions…"

Taking a quick step backwards away from the car, the younger male held up his hands, palms-forward, his own green eyes widening. "Whoa there, teach! Look…there's no way you can really _stop_ us. Besides…something's come up that changes things, _big-time_…and it's because of _that_, that we were all thinking that you _might_ want to come along." It was the only thing he could come up with off the top-of-his-head. He _knew_ that it was a bald-faced lie; _none_ of them had been thinking any such thing; but even as he said it, he had to admit to himself that, under the circumstances, it wasn't a half-bad idea…

And he was sure that the others would go along with it…so, if it got the Coach to calm down, not put up any further resistance and let them be on their way …where was the harm?

Suichi clamped his mouth shut, and tried desperately to rein in his, suddenly, seemingly out-of-control temper. _**Changed**__? __**What's **__changed? __**What **__was he referring to? _Taking a couple of deep breaths, and exhaling slowly, the brown-haired teacher finally cooled off enough to look the teen square in the eyes.

"_Alright_…I _won't_ make any promises…but go ahead…you have my attention…"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

**Chapter Twenty-Three! **I hope it was worth the wait! The pieces are falling into place, one-by-one, for the big showdown! Which is coming…soon? Hmmm…we'll see! It all depends on if the gang cooperates, or not! Stay tuned, and until next time, dear readers! Ja Ne!


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